Hunter Effect
by Kurogane7
Summary: A/U: After years of fearing the unknown, the Council decides to get back up on the horse to explore the galaxy, sending two frigates through an unopened relay. What they find is a world of wonders and danger; a world of monsters. Rated T for now. Will incorporate elements from all MH games, and ME. Yes, Andromeda too.
1. New Worlds

_**A/N: Finally, a new non-Naruto cross. With any luck, this will put life back into this particular one.**_

_**Anyway, your comments will tell me if this is a cross worth pursuing, so do please read and review, would you kindly?**_

_**And do keep it classy!**_

…

[Council Expeditionary Vessel CSV _Book of Discovery_]

The bridge of the _Book of Discovery _was abuzz with energy as the crew went to work. Data was calculated, checks were made, basically everyone triple-checked everything to prepare for the imminent jump through the relay. "Inputting mass and destination now, Captain," informed the Salarian navigator, looking towards an Asari with bright blue skin standing near the Turian pilot, "Sending!"

Captain Saria Rydia eyed the Mass Relay on her screen with no small amount of trepidation…this was the first time since the Rachni Wars and the fiasco with the Yahg that the Council decided to open a 'virgin' Mass Relay. She'd had to argue her blue ass in front of the Councilors for decades before she even got _permission_ to come to this part of the galaxy, and the only reason they were able to get as far as they did was because Matriarch Lidanya sympathized with, and fought hard for their cause. It was decades of argument, but the Council finally tasked her to explore Sector X, a wide swath of unexplored space that was said to have been in a completely different galaxy.

To aid in her mission, while cutting down on costs, the _Book of Discovery_ was retrofitted from a decommissioned _Armali_-class Heavy Frigate that had seen its fair share of combat during the Rachni Wars, and the subsequent Krogan Rebellions. Many of the ship's weapons systems were taken out to accommodate the things that would be needed for an expedition into the unknown, such as monitoring equipment and laboratories. That being said, the _Discovery_ was still a warship at her core: while many of her guided missile and torpedo launchers were gutted, she still had her spinal-mounted mass driver, and mass accelerator turrets.

"Incoming transmission from the _Bravery_, Captain," declared the Asari communications officer.

Saria sighed, shaking her head in amusement. "Patch her through."

A small window opened at the corner of her screen, playing a video of an Asari sharing her exact facial features in real time. "This is it, sis," said the Asari on the small screen, exuberance in her smile, "All our years of pleading, and the Council finally gets back on the uma. Nervous?"

"As if you aren't, Scotia!" Saria fired back, "Are _you_ ready for this?"

"You know I am," Scotia teased, "_Somebody's_ gotta bring your ass out of the fire!"

"Don't forget that it's technically your ass too!"

Scotia scoffed. "Whatever sis, whatever! See you on the other side."

Captain Scotia Rydia was Saria's identical twin sister; both had served as Huntresses, doing a few tours during the later stages of the Rebellion before going through the Naval Academy to become captains. Neither of them were ever seen too far from each other, and she too shared in her sister's desire to explore the galaxy, and believed that bad experiences was no excuse to stop exploration. Both were equal in terms of intelligence and leadership, but opposite in the way they approached problem-solving: Saria favored grace, agility, and making enemies do the dirty work for her; Scotia was more upfront, powerful, and was not afraid to dirty her hands whenever necessary.

As Saria settled down in her captain's chair, she pressed a button on her omni-tool to a particular individual in engineering. "Tali, how's the engine looking?"

"It's looking good so far," came a filtered female voice, "I never thought I'd get a chance to work on an experimental engine."

Saria scoffed to herself. "Well don't get too excited. The Union already have reservations about letting Quarians anywhere near their stuff."

"I won't take anything, it's just that it's too hard to contain my excitement."

"Enjoy it while it lasts, because you can't take it with you," Saria reminded, "But if you do this, you and every Quarian crewmen we have could have their pilgrimages settled in an instant."

"The possibility of new home for my people, now _that_ is something we all look forward to. We'll make sure the engine is working perfectly, Keelah Se'lai!"

Saria reclined back into her chair and thought back to the recruiting process. While much of the crew -and most certainly the Council!- had their reservations about including Quarians in the Initiative, there was no denying that their expertise in the engineering bay was matched only by the few Salarian engineers they managed to get. It was for this reason that she had Scotia reach out to her less-than-savory contacts in the underworld specifically to find a Quarian with ties to the Admiralty for a meet and greet. Granted, they hadn't been able to sell the idea completely, but they managed to get a few to come with; among them being Tali'Zorah vas Neema and Kal'Reegar, both of whom were on the _Discovery_. However, the Quarians weren't the only race that the sisters reached out to.

The door to the bridge opened, allowing a Krogan in red armor to enter. _Speak of the Yakshi,_ Saria thought to herself. "Come for the view, Wrex?"

"Just making sure our benefactor doesn't get her head shot off," Wrex groused.

The Asari captain scoffed. The fact that Saria and Scotia were able to get as many Krogan as they did, even if it were a handful, was nothing short of a miracle. They'd arrived at Tuchanka just in time to assist and rescue the survivors of Jarrod's treachery, earning a modicum of their friendship and putting them in a more receptive mood. The invite into the Initiative for the survivors was initially a hard sell for Urdnot Wrex and Nakmor Morda, but both apparently came around after deciding that the benefits of starting all over in a different galaxy was well worth the risk.

Many were hesitant to induct the Krogan into the expedition, but most simply made their peace with it. The sisters were adamant on getting more muscle, and they would get it from wherever they could; with the exception of Batarians, of course. While Wrex and his remnants served on the _Discovery_, Morda and her clan worked on the _Bravery_.

"So how's our resident archaeologist handling herself?" Saria asked Wrex.

The Battlemaster shrugged his shoulders. "Still in her lab, last I saw," he answered matter-of-factly, "I guess the prospect of exploring a totally new galaxy has her babbling like the Maiden she is."

Liara T'Soni was an interesting Asari…daughter of a well-known Matriarch, with many degrees in archaeology, specifically dealing with the Protheans. Apparently, her theory on the fate of the Protheans had been the subject of ridicule due to her age. Saria was only able to enlist her on the expedition by personally speaking to her mother, Matriarch Benezia. "Well, with any luck, this expedition will open her eyes to a whole new world," Saria suggested.

"Not sure that's a good idea," Wrex cautioned, "Scientists like her will never let you hear the end of it."

The captain remained silent as she turned her focus onto the mass relay that the crews were sending data to. "We've got the coordinates and our mass sent to the relay. Anything you wanna say 'fore we go, Cap?"

Saria sat up from her chair, watching the assembly of the bridge crew turning to face her.

…

[Council Expeditionary Vessel CSV _Book of Bravery_]

Scotia listened in through her viewscreen, watching the subtle fidget in her sister's movements as she addressed the bridge of the _Discovery_. "We're all going into unknown territory through a relay that hasn't ever been opened before. The nearest Comm Buoy is just past Omega, which means we won't be able to call back to our families or even use the Extranet while we're out there. But if we succeed in colonizing a new world, we can prove to the Citadel that it's okay to explore again…that we can grow and adapt.

"All of you have been invited because you're the best: some of you are here for the chance of a fresh start, others are here to explore new worlds. This is our chance to make our mark in the history books; we cannot afford to have the wounds of the past influence what we do from this point on. If any of you feel that you can't work with your fellow crewmates, then we'll send you back to Omega so you can go home. Saria Rydia, out."

"Looks to me like your sister's made up her mind," said a flanged voice from behind her. Scotia turned in her chair to see a black-faced Turian in red and black armor standing off to her right, "Always good to see in a leader."

"Something we both share," answered Scotia, "So what brings our resident Spectre up here?"

"Just here for the view," answered the Turian, his green eyes on the screen.

While Council allowed for the expedition to happen, it was under the condition that they were to be overseen by a Spectre. It was a non-negotiable part of the deal to ensure that they would not be starting another Rachni War by mistake; to that end, each sister was assigned a Spectre as a minder. While Scotia and Saria had their reservations, Nihlus Kryik and Jondum Bau proved to be very capable agents that conducted themselves well enough during the trip to invite Krogan into the Initiative.

Feeling that there was enough time for final checks, Scotia opened her omni-tool. "How're the calibrations on the standard gear, Garrus?"

"Everything's good and ready," answered the Turian at the other end.

"Well don't over-calibrate the experimental stuff just yet," Scotia cautioned, "The manufacturers need to know what works and what doesn't."

"I'll try to hold it in."

Garrus Vakarian was a Turian officer that had more than a few problems. At the time she and Saria invited him into the Initiative, he was very close to getting booted out of C-SEC after arguing with Pallin one too many times. He wouldn't say exactly what he was arguing about with his boss, but it made it easier to recruit him. Aside from his detective skills, and the fact that he was known to tweak his gear obsessively, Garrus was a very accurate shot; enough that he was put in the Special Response team as a sniper.

Like the _Book of Discovery_, the _Book of Bravery_ was also a retrofitted _Armali_-class that was a veteran of the same conflicts, only most of her armaments were replaced with experimental technologies and weapons to help protect her sister ship. This included stealth systems and an experimental spinal-mounted cannon that the Hierarchy wanted tested. She also had a compliment of shuttles to ferry landing parties to the surface for emergencies on the ground, making her the sword to the _Discovery's_ shield.

"Captain, the relay is powering up!"

Scotia pressed a button on her arm rest, communicating with the rest of the ship. "Everyone, hang on to your seats, we're going through the relay!"

…

[Elsewhere]

The sunlight shone brightly on the sands of Wildspire Waste, as the creatures of the desert went about their business. Herds of Apceros patrolling the sands for food and drink, while Vespoids looked for flowering plants and prey for their hive. However, those were not what Shepard was concerned with as she explored the desert while shouldering an Insect Glaive. She'd come out to the Waste on a mission to capture a Diablos alive for the scientists to study━as though her job weren't hard enough, it had to be a _Black_ Diablos.

Still, it was well worth the compensation to go on the job; on top of the zenny she'd earn for the fight, she would get Black Diablos parts for later use. That, and it gave her a bit of catharsis from a week of finding no work.

"Something on your mind, meowster?" asked her palico.

"Just thinking about how we're gonna do the job, Norma," Shepard answered, running a free hand through shoulder-length, sanguine hair.

"Don't worry, I'm sure you'll come up with something, nya," assured the felyne.

Shepard smiled gratefully at her smaller partner before tousling her hair. They would cross the bridge when they got there

…

_**Codex:**_

_**Athame Initiative **_

_**After years of remaining silent on the issue of exploration, the Council tasked the Rydia twins Saria and Scotia to explore and settle in the region of space known only as Sector X. This project would be known as the "Athame Initiative."**_

_**To this end, the Rydia twins sought out candidates from every race: Salarian scientists, Asari Huntresses, even Quarian engineers have been approached and invited. Even Krogans have been invited, generating no shortage of controversy; to which the sisters defended by saying that every skill is needed.**_

_**While the Initiative is projected to be a one-way trip, it is speculated that another aim is to find a more reliable route to come to Sector X.**_


	2. Preparations

_**A/N: Well, got my first reviews, and one of them is criticizing me on the lack of a timeline. **_

_**Guest: I will make it clear: while there are some who can pull it off perfectly, I'm not going to do a timeline in the near future. Besides, there'll be plenty of time to establish one with the dialogue and codex entries…as well as differences from canon (which I will probably be following up to about the Lorek Incident). In any case, this is an AU where the Council never even met humans before.**_

_**Killer Kombat: As to whether or not the Bioenergy of Monster Hunter-verse will have any effect on the Athame colonists, I will have to say that there **_**would** _**be effects; just not as immediate or drastic as to completely cure the Genophage upon arrival. I would have to say that it'll probably take a generation or two before there are any noticeable changes.**_

_**So do please read and review, would you kindly?**_

_**And do keep it classy!**_

…

[Citadel Expeditionary Vessel CSV _Book of Bravery_, Bridge]

The trip through the mass relay was instantaneous, if not more forceful than usual as the bridge crew worked tirelessly to normalize the ship. People rushed to make sure diagnostics were working fine, and that nothing was compromised from the trip; weapons were checked, kinetic barriers were given a diagnostic, even the rations for the trip were checked. No stone was unturnedeverything needed to be thoroughly inspected, or else they'd be caught with the proverbial pants down if anybody decided to follow them through the relay.

"Status report!" commanded Scotia, looking at the crew.

"Weapon Systems are fine, Captain!" announced a Turian.

"Life support fully functional!" added a Salarian.

"Structural Integrity still holding!" noted a Quarian.

As the crew ran down the list, Scotia heaved a sigh of relief that everything was working at optimal condition. A very big reason why, even though they'd known of it for quite some time, the Council was hesitant to send anyone to Sector X was because it was larger, and thus it was projected to be more powerful than a primary relay. To that end, no expense was spared to ensure that the ships were retrofitted with the latest in heavy armor materials for a higher chance of surviving whatever forces would have been exerted on the frigates without compromising on the _Armali_-class's famed agility.

"Has the _Discovery_ made it?" asked Scotia.

"Hang on," the Quarian tech drawled, keying commands into his console, "Yes, she has, and in one piece too."

"Open a comm channel to them," Scotia commanded, "I want to make sure we're all good."

"We've already got a transmission from them," noted an Asari communications officer, "She's waiting to speak to you."

"Put her on."

The video conference with Saria popped up on Scotia's screen, allowing her a glimpse of the _Discovery's_ bridge. "Everyone okay?"

"We're fine," answered Saria, "Looks like big things _do_ come in big packages. We're scanning the system for any habitable worlds right now."

"Have you found the relay in the system yet?"

"That's the first thing we checked," added the younger Rydia twin, "I'm afraid the answer is no; there's no relay in this system. I think it's still possible to go home, but the odds of finding another relay like the one we went through are slim to none."

Upon hearing that there was no relay in the system, Scotia could feel the dejection and desperation in the bridge; and the worst part was that she couldn't blame the crew. There was a certain kind of finality whenever anyone was told that there was no way to go home…it was a feeling that one would have if they were told they were going to die of cancer within a month. "How are the scans for habitable worlds coming?" she finally asked.

"We've been on it since…"

"Ma'am, we have a hit on a nearby star system!" announced a feminine voice on the Discovery's bridge, "It's not too far; just a few days of FTL, and we'll be there."

Saria huffed in amusement. "Well, looks like our luck's turned around. We'll send you the coordinates, and meet you there."

…

[Astera Canteen]

The night was busy as the Hunters of Astera settled down in the Canteen, many of whom were waiting patiently for the Felyne waiters to bring them their meals. The scent and sizzle of fresh meat cooking on a hot stone counter only served to make everyone hungrier as the Meowscular Chef worked tirelessly with the rest of his crew to ensure that his customers were fed in a timely manner. Meanwhile, the Felyne brewmaster had his colleagues roll out large caskets to accommodate the rush that they had to serve.

As this was going on, a man in a segmented suit of full plate armor with blue trim sat at a table, enjoying his meal in peace. His helmet was placed to the side, revealing a shaved head with a kind face that had seen more than its fair share of action. On one arm, he wore a spiked vambrace divided into four splints, and a leather one that mounted small steel crossbow on the other. Under all that metal, he wore a leather undersuit for a fine balance of protection and comfort.

Sitting next to him was a cream-colored palico with brown markings scarfing down a gigantic piece of meat with a bone. It wore a the skull mask and corroded metal plates of Vaal Hazak armor, complete with the double-edged bone sword that was part of the set.

"Shepard, good to see you," noted a Hunter walking towards his table. He wore a metal leonine helmet with false hair pieces, a pair of gunmetal scale gauntlets and an even larger steel crossbow, and a scaled belt with a leather cloth dangling from behind. This was contrasted with the swirling plates that protected his chest and shoulders, laid over a red and black leather undersuit. He was accompanied by a palico with thick, dark gray fur with golden eyes, wearing a white and yellow hat and jacket better-suited for life in the winter.

"Nessus, you look like you're in good spirits," Shepard answered.

"Just got done at the workshop," Nessus replied, settling down as he undid the strap of his helmet, "And I'm happy with my purchase."

"Well, anyone would be," agreed the other Hunter, "Of everyone I know, you seem to have the most consistent capture rate of Deviljho. I'm pretty sure the Researchers love you right now.

Nessus set down his headgear on the table, revealing the face of a man nearing his thirties. His features were somewhat pointed, with dark skin and a white triangular tattoo crossing the bridge of his nose. His steel gray hair was done up in a sensible bowl cut. "Don't remind me; I've had enough of their gushing to last an entire day. Where's Maya by the way?"

Maya and Sam Shepard were a brother-sister duo that arrived at the New World on the Fifth Fleet. Both had a long list of accomplishments that made an impression on the Guild enough to qualify for a stint, most notable of which being that they were both part of a team had taken on a Nakarkos; they fought the Elder Dragon on their own to buy their team time to run, and wound up beating it. Nessus had seen more than his fair share of Hunters worthy of entering the New World, but he saw their skills and bravery firsthand when they helped redirect Zorah Magdaros to the sea.

"She and Norma decided to patrol the Waste," answered Shepard, "She's hell-bent on getting that Diablos Insect Glaive."

"Well, if she's anything like you, I'm sure she'll get it," Nessus agreed, biting down on a drumstick.

"She's going after a _Black_ Diablos."

"She really wouldn't be your sister if she didn't rise up to the challenge, Sam," pointed out his fellow Hunter, "Just like her brother."

Sam snorted in amusement before taking a swig of his beer. The two Hunters continued their meal in silence until their plates were empty. "So where are you going?" Shepard asked, as he walked with his fellow Hunter to the front gates.

"I'm going to the Elder's Recess," answered Nessus, "I've heard word that a Nergigante's back, and I'm thinking of putting a squad together to go hunt it."

Shepard quirked an eyebrow at that. "Gaia's not coming with you this time?"

"She's out on a mission right now," answered Nessus, "But there's a spot open for you if you'd like."

"Thanks, but I'm going to the Ancient Forest; heard there was an Elder spotted there."

"Be seeing you, Shepard."

The man in question nodded, his Palico hitching a ride on his back as a Mernos swept him off his feet.

…

[Citadel Expeditionary Vessel CSV _Book of Discovery_, Armory]

A bulky Turian quartermaster with red facial markings kept stock of _Discovery's_ armory. While not as well-stocked with implements of battle as her sister ship, the _Discovery_ had more than enough weapons for every situation: Turian Phaeston assault rifles, Salarian Scorpion pistols, even rare and infamous Krogan long guns like the Striker and Graal Spike Thrower.

As he kept stock of the weapons he was tasked with maintaining, the quartermaster relaxed as he looked at two in particular from the Asari Republics that had just come out of the fabricator. Both shared a similar design, but differed in that one was a pistol and the other was a longer weapon that he saw in the hands of many an Asari Justicar and Commando. Last he'd heard, the Republics were particularly reluctant to let the template for the larger one go.

The door to the armory opened with a hiss as a female Turian with purple facial markings walked in. "So Gaius, how's our selection of weapons?" she asked.

"With what we've got, I'd say we're ready for whatever we are likely to face out there," answered the quartermaster, "I'm surprised by how much variety you've managed to procure, Vetra. Though how you managed to get your hands on Republics Disciple and Acolyte templates, I'll never know."

"You'd be surprised what a lot of connections can get done," answered Vetra, "By the way, how's my baby?"

Knowing what Vetra was talking about, Gaius reached under the counter to pull out a large rifle mounted on a stand; it had a barrel mounted over a large cylinder with three holes in front. "Here ya go, one Cyclone assault rifle, good and ready at a moment's notice," he said, looking over the rifle carefully, "You took good care of this baby."

"Wouldn't be alive if I didn't," Vetra replied, "Good work."

Of all the weapons that Vetra could've chosen in the armory, she had a soft spot for the Cyclone; a rare weapon that traded in accuracy for a gradually increasing rate of fire. While Gaius didn't envy the unfortunate sod that had to maintain these rifles regularly, he'd seen it in action enough times to know it was a solid fire-support weapon. And while he'd never fired it himself -nor would he ever!- he knew of Turians that _swore_ by it; though it helped the Cyclone's reputation that said Turians were heavy weapons specialists.

"So how's your sister doing?" asked Gaius.

"Pretty well, all things considered," Vetra answered, inspecting her gun, "She's bouncing around, looking forward to the chance to see a whole new galaxy. I think she was kinda bummed when she heard that there's no way back to known space though, but she's back up on her feet."

"Sounds like she's a fighter," noted the quartermaster, pulling out a pistol from its holster, "And I hope you'll appreciate the modification I made to your baby; I tightened the spread a bit so that she won't be spraying bullets around as much."

"Well, I guess we'll see soon enough," answered the smuggler, "Drack and I have been assigned to a scouting party, along with Peebee, our resident archaeologist, and our SPECTRE."

"Looks like your team's well-rounded," Gaius said, nodding in approval as he stripped down his pistol, "Who's on the other roster?"

"Wrex, a Quarian named Tali, our favorite calibration addict Vakarian, Mordin, and Thane Krios."

Gaius flinched in response to the last name on the other team roster, nearly dropping a part he was cleaning as he quickly turned to regard Vetra with disbelief. "Woah, wait a minute, Thane Krios is on the expedition?"

"So he's an assassin," Vetra answered, taking a look down the sight of her Cyclone, "What of it?"

"I heard he's one of the best killers in the Terminus," Gaius answered, turning his attention back to the handgun, "Though I guess if you're doing recon, you can't go wrong with a legend like him."

"I gotta go to the bridge," said Vetra, placing her gun on the counter, "Take care of my baby while I'm gone."

"Will do, Vetra."

…

[Unregistered Batarian Corvette _Implacable_, Bridge]

The Batarian captain watched the display as his ship approached the mass relay, joy in all four of his eyes. The mole he'd planted in the Council Chambers had given him more than enough information, most lucrative of which being plans to colonize a new world before exploring a whole new galaxy. He'd had ambitions of rising in the Hegemony for a long time now, and a surprise gift like this was his ticket to success.

"Captain Zak'kat, we're approaching the relay," announced the navigator.

"Good, keep going," answered the captain, "We don't want those primitives to know we're here."

A pressurized hiss broke the monotonous droning of the Element Zero engine as his XO entered the bridge. Subtle curves under light armor marked the newcomer as female with black and white stripes framing her four eyes. She wore a necklace of wooden beads and claws around her neck and over her armor. "We're all ready to go through with this. I just hope you know what you're doing."

"This is our chance to go up in life, Lieutenant Jatha," replied Zak'kat, "The gods favor us if we were able to get this intelligence!"

"And how do _you _know what the gods want, sir?" Jatha countered.

The Batarian captain scoffed. "Of course you'd know Jatha; you're the most well-read of us all in this ship when it comes to religious matters."

"With all due respect sir, I care for the welfare of all Batarians," Jatha fired back, "I just have my own reservations on the way we're doing things."

"Ah, so you're one of the shamanists aren't you?"

While sacred texts such as the Pillars of Strength were the foundation of the Batarian religion, there were those that still followed older traditions. The Shamanist Reformation was one of these throwbacks to an era before the Pillars of Strength, when the Batarians were still a collection of tribal societies. As per the name of the movement, the shamanists followed shamans for guidance much like the Krogan still did, believing in the concept of spirits existing in all things. Their numbers were few in Hegemony space, but they were gaining traction and numbers in the Terminus, a good number of them setting up shop in Omega.

"And what of it?" asked Jatha, "Faith is faith…it has nothing to do with my loyalty to the Batarian people."

Zak'kat snorted. "Whatever you say. All that aside, what does our mole know of this 'Sector X' they keep speaking of?"

"They don't know," answered Jatha, "And for that matter, neither does the Council. All they know is that the relay is bigger than usual…apparently, the Salarians believe it's powerful enough to send people to a whole new galaxy, ripe for the taking."

The Batarian captain sat in his seat, thinking of the possibilities of an entire galaxy open to the Hegemony. All they needed to do was to set foot on one of the worlds in Sector X, set up a colony, then send word back, and they were set for life. However, the problem was that the Council's expeditionary force was likely going to be there first…which meant dealing with witnesses. He smiled to himself at the thought of the fury with which the Hegemony would bring to the fight, and the glory of conquering a whole new galaxy.

…

_**Codex:**_

_**The Shadow War**_

_**The Batarians had entered the galactic stage at a later date than the Turians in response to the escalation of the Krogan Rebellions. After the Rebellion, years of the Batarian Hegemony's aggressive expansion and antagonistic relations with the Citadel races had many believing that their inclusion into the Citadel was a mistake. This would eventually come to a head in 1915 CE, leading up to the Esan Incident (see: Esan Incident); a moment that most Krogan would call "the last poke in the quad."**_

_**What happened next was the destruction of a recent Hegemony Annexation; the Turian colony of Thracia and its ore mines were liberated within weeks. Batarian troopers stationed on the colony had been slain, shortly before a rebellion had broken out that took out the rest. It is speculated to this day that Councilor Tevos had authorized the attack in retaliation for what happened at Esan (now called Lorek).**_

_**After the attack on Thracia, the Batarian ambassador Lath'Vala had demanded that something be done about the situation. In response, Tevos had told him that rebellions had to happen at some point, and declared that she wasn't going to do anything about a slave uprising. The ambassador stated that his people would no longer have any ties with the Citadel; shortly afterward, the Batarian embassy was closed, starting a conflict known only as "The Shadow War." Both the Citadel and the Hegemony would do battle with each other in the dark for generations, as Spectres sabotaged the Batarian Hegemony anytime the latter gained any new territories, while more Batarian outlaws became more active.**_

_**With the Shadow War in the middle of a stalemate, the conflict had eventually come to an unspoken ceasefire; neither the Hegemony nor the Citadel would attack each other. Still, experts believe that it is only a matter of time before the flames of the shadow conflict are fanned into an outright war.**_

…

_**A/N: Not much, just more cast-building.**_

_**Speaking of which, Nessus is one of my Hunters in "Monster Hunter: World"; as of today, he's wearing a mix of MR Pink Rathian and Odogaron armor pieces to maximize on the amount of damage he can do while taking as little fire damage as possible. Being that I main the Switch Axe, it's a combo that I find effective, especially with Odogaron armor's Speed Sharpening skill and if I have Earplugs available.**_

_**In any case, if you have an existing Hunter you want to show up in the story, send me a PM or leave a review with the following info:**_

_**Name:**_

_**Race: Human or Wyverian (They're the only races we see doing any active hunting)**_

_**Gender: No transgenders, please! I doubt Monster Hunter-verse has the materials necessary to even have transgenders.**_

_**Sexual Identity: Gay? Straight? Bi? Omni?**_

_**Age:**_

_**Height: In centimeters**_

_**Weight: In kilograms**_

_**Body Type: Slim, Muscular?**_

_**Skin Color:**_

_**Eye Color:**_

_**Hair Color:**_

_**Notable Features: Tattoos, scars, amputations, etc.**_

_**Personality:**_

_**History: Just a little of what they've done before going to the New World, like what was the biggest monster they killed, or where they come from. That, and what they've been doing while in the New World.**_

_**Guild Status: Are they still active? If not, then what do they do now? Are they Guild Knights?**_

_**Handler: Do they answer to a Handler, or to a receptionist? If they answer to a Handler, give a brief description of them; name, gender, personality.**_

_**Hunter Rank: Are they Low, High, or Master-ranked?**_

_**Equipment: Just what weapon they normally use, and the armor they're wearing**_

_**Palico Name: Name your Hunter's Palico**_

_**Palico Description: Describe the physical appearance; tail length, fur thickness, eye color, etc.**_

_**Palico Equipment: Describe the Palico's weapon, gear, and armor**_

_**Palico Personality: Describe the Palico's demeanor**_


	3. Catalyst

_**A/N: Here's another one for you ladies and gents following this story.**_

_**And thanks to those who managed to speak up. Your Hunters may not necessarily show up immediately or often, but they **_**may **_**have a use later on…even if it's a cameo. I'm likely to use them more immediately if they're not veering into Gary/Mary Stu territory; if they are, then I'm gonna see if I can balance them out first so that they're believable before I ditch them.**_

_**Do read and review, would you kindly? And keep it classy!**_

…

[Council Expeditionary Vessel _CSV Book of Discovery_, Bridge]

"Exiting FTL in 3…2…1…entering normal space now!" announced a Salarian engine tech from behind the door.

As soon as Saria walked into the bridge, she could see the slipstream of FTL dissipating, giving way to the star-speckled black of space. Contrasting with the emptiness of the void however, was the very thing the crews were looking for: a habitable star system to colonize and settle. She could immediately see nine planets orbiting a fairly large star, all of varying sizes.

"Give me the run-down, what do the scans show?" Saria asked taking her seat at the captain's chair.

"So far, nine planets, and about 170 moons," answered the Salarian sensors operator.

"Do we have any habitable locations?"

"Still scan…wait, we have a hit!" added the Salarian, bringing the image up on screen, "Third planet from the sun, one moon orbiting."

"Send the coordinates to the Bravery, and prep for another jump," commanded Saria, "Tell them we'll meet them there."

Luckily for the crew of the _Discovery_ and the _Bravery_, the FTL transition in the direction of the planet didn't take any longer than a few hours' jump. When they transitioned out of the slipstream, they were treated to the window-side view of the world that they were to colonize. Great expanses of ocean, and a good number of continents with patches of green forest contrasting against sandy brown deserts, along with giant splotches of dark grey and white that could only be mountaintops. Billowing clouds added to the beauty of the planet as they hid and cooled down territories hidden beneath them. Overall, a garden world worth exploring and settling.

Saria's train of thought was interrupted when the door to the bridge opened, Wrex and Vetra walking in. "Well, we've made it," she said with a smile, "There's our new home."

Vetra eyed the screen with wonder. "It's beautiful."

"Not bad," Wrex admitted, nodding in approval, "But we still have to get boots on the ground, and sound the all-clear before we can even settle it."

"That, and we still need to verify that it's even safe to begin with," Saria continued, "Sis, how many of those prototype drones do you have?"

"We have a complement of twenty on us," answered Scotia, "But I doubt that it'll be enough for a complete scan of the planet."

"That'll be fine, we just need a sneak peek of what to expect down there."

Scotia nodded in understanding before pressing a button on her console. "Steg, get the drones ready; we're scanning the planet."

"All of them?" boomed a voice from the other end, it's owner very likely a Krogan.

"All of them," Scotia confirmed, "We need as good a preview as we can get, and run the feed to the _Discovery_ too."

"Whatever you say, Captain."

Once she was done ordering for the drone scan, Scotia pressed another button on her console. "Garrus, get your exploration team ready; you're going to meet the other team at the Discovery, then both teams are going to standby for orders."

"You got it, Captain!"

Saria turned to Vetra and Wrex. "You two do the same; get your team geared up, and meet Garrus at the shuttle bay. After that, standby for orders."

Vetra and Wrex silently nodded in assent before leaving the bridge to prepare for their upcoming mission.

"Let's get closer," Scotia suggested, "That way, the drones can refuel and recharge faster."

"All right, but not too close," Saria warned, "We don't want to spook anything that's down there, so let's get as close as we can before we have to compensate for the world's gravity."

"You got it, sis."

As soon as both ships descended onto the planet's low orbit, the _Bravery_ launched her entire drone complement; each one darted off in a different direction to scan every part of the planet, taking a video recording of what to expect. Granted, every image was from a magnified bird's eye view, but it was enough to give her a general idea: lush green forests and jungles that could support any variety of beings; beaches in all shapes and forms that may appeal to Hanar; even desert biomes that would accommodate races like the Krogan and Drell could inhabit with little trouble. However, what gave her pause was the wildlife that existed on this world: while the majority of it was made up of smaller creatures, there were a large number of gigantic beasts that dominated the food chain. From red, winged animals that terrorized the sky, to giant, horned monstrosities that prowled the desert, it was enough to make one wonder if colonizing this world was worth it.

"Well, at least the ecology is still healthy on this planet," noted Saria.

"Saria, we just found something!" Scotia announced, "Sending you the images now."

Curious as to what her sister was getting at, Saria opened the images that were sent her way. As she studied the bird's eye view from the drones, she saw many buildings at certain locations on the world; much of it was made of wood and some type of bone, with sparse additions of stone and metal here and there. It was primitive, but it was more than enough to tell the captains of both ships that it was inhabited, and the fires they saw at certain places was proof that the natives were still living on this garden world.

"Looks like we're gonna have neighbors," Saria sighed, rubbing her head in exasperation, "I'll be honest, I never thought that this would be possible. Still, the fact that there's people living on this rock makes things a bit more complicated."

"And at a lower tech tier, by the looks of it," Scotia added, "We're gonna have to deal with them sooner or later…now's as good a time as any to make First Contact."

"Captain, we have a contact headed our way!" called a Salarian sensor operator, "It's moving fast!"

"Bring it up on screen!" Saria commanded, causing the star-studded black of space to appear on everyone's screens. What got her attention was the small, silvery object that was approaching the _Discovery_ at high speeds with a violent red trail behind it. The thing could not have been a missile, as she doubted that the natives would've been at the technological level to even build one; still, it was headed for a collision course on her starboard broadside, and it was coming too fast for the _Discovery_ to orient its main gun towards it. And on top of that, there was not enough time for evasive maneuvers.

"EVERYONE, BATTLE STATIONS!" Saria called, "GET THE TURRETS READY! SHOOT THAT THING DOWN BEFORE IT HITS US IN THE BROADSIDE!"

"YOU HEARD THE LADY!" Scotia added, "ALL WEAPONS SYSTEMS UP! SHOOT IT DOWN BEFORE IT CRASHES INTO THE _DISCOVERY_!"

Within seconds, the black of space was a brilliant spectacle of flashing blue streaks darting towards a menace leaving behind a red trail. Long before the GARDIAN laser became the standard, automated mass accelerator turrets ruled the point-defense weapon scene—while not as fast, accurate, or powerful, mass accelerators were far more consistent, and cheaper. There was a sense of certainty from drowning enemy fighters and missiles in a storm of high-caliber, hypersonic slugs that lasers lacked; a certainty that was lost when the contact continued its trajectory towards the _Discovery_. As the storm of mass accelerator fire continued to strike at the target, the Bravery unleashed its complement of guided missiles at the contact. The contact was unfazed by the storm of projectiles being sent down range, its speed remained constant even as it was pelted by the hypersonic stakes by the mass accelerator turrets. It sped past the missiles, and continued its path towards the _Discovery_ with explosive ordinance trailing behind it, forcing the _Bravery_ to gun down the missiles before they hit her sister ship.

"EVERYONE BRACE FOR IMPACT!"

…

[Elder's Recess]

Nessus sat in his tent, the drone of the lava and the distant thunderclap going on outside as he inspected his latest acquisition from the forge, waiting for his team to assemble. While he didn't appreciate the mass-produced appearance on most of the weapons made in the New World, he valued the work put into them; especially considering that they had to be churned out in a timely manner. Because of Taylor and Vega's hard work, he was reacquainted with a Switch Axe he'd favored back home in Yukumo: every inch of the weapon was covered in green scales, and bursting with swelling muscles in between. The weapon was held together with stiff chains, and its blades were studded with large, razor-sharp fangs that could rend bits of flesh off its target; unsurprising, as the Terror Tyrannos Switch Axe was made almost entirely from Deviljho parts. It was a crude, cumbersome weapon to be sure, but what it lacked in refinement, it compensated for by being a powerful weapon with a high chance of sealing off an Elder Dragon's power.

Nearby, his Palico Kaoru admired the large, serrated blade of the Gajalaka sword she'd also received from the smithy. It had a tapered, cleaver-like blade that was knapped from a slab of carbalite using a Gajalaka drawing as a guide, and its long grip was wrapped in rawhide; in spite of its primitive appearance, it was still a very fine blade that severed tails quite well. At the same time, she made sure to pack a Vigorwasp Spray in the event, she and her master were unable to get anyone to come with them to this hunt.

Their gear check was interrupted momentarily when the flap of the tent was pulled back to allow a woman entrance. She wore a yellow leather tabard over a skin-tight leather and wool white turtleneck, secured with plates of hardened leather and a belt, and a white mantle with blue trim around her shoulders. Her legs were protected by a pair of leather and monster scale warmers with blue leather knee pads over a pair of form-fitting pants and leather boots, and her right arm was protected with a small scaled gauntlet. Strapped to her head were a pair of goggles with extra scopes that fit over the right lens.

"They here yet?" Nessus asked.

"Almost," answered the woman, "Still can't believe you're going up against another Nergigante, partner."

"Gotta get back up sometime, Eden," replied the Hunter, "Might as well use this as an opportunity to give my old friend here a test run."

Nessus slung his Switch Axe across his back, and stepped out of the tent to see three figures descending with their Palicoes; most notable of which being a taller figure clad in the horned helm and spiky armor from previous Nergigante hunts. Slung across his back was the Devastation's Thorns Charge Blade; a slightly weaker, but more reliable weapon that rivaled his Terror Tyrannos in its ability to nullify an Elder Dragon's more dangerous abilities. His Palico wore Bazelgeuse armor, and had a miniature Rathalos sword slung across his back.

Next to Nergigante Hunter was a hooded Huntress swathed in the ratty leather over small, overlapping plates characteristic Vaal Hazak armor. Holstered on the small of her back was a set of Dual Blades with organic Nergigante spikes forming the knuckle bow and blade-catcher that supported thick, thigh-length, recurved blades from a Lunastra. She was slightly shorter than he was, but Nessus knew that nobody was ever given a ticket to the New World for simply being bookish. Her black and white Palico was clad completely in Odogaron armor, carrying the Garon Chainblade.

The final member of the Hunting party was by far the largest of all the arrivals, at which Nessus eyeballed him to be a good 224 cm tall, 113 kilograms out of armor. His bulky armor was a mish-mash of parts from different monsters in such a way as to complement his massive size. The weapon he favored was a massive hammer with a bone head secured to a foreguard with a long, red belts, its face resembling a heater shield; it was the Kulu Ya-Ku hammer known as the Crushing Beak.

"Well, looks like we're going on a hunt with one of the Sapphire Stars," greeted the mish-mashed giant, pulling off his Vangis helmet to reveal white skin contrasted against blue eyes and cropped blonde hair, an amicable grin on his face. His colleague in the Nergigante armor did the same, showing white skin, blue eyes with three old scars across the left eye, and brown hair; the Huntress had olive-tanned skin, with silver eyes and deep brown hair under her hood.

"I find that some hunts are best done with friends, Ty," answered Nessus, "Besides, it's a Nergigante; most Hunters would have trouble with one."

"Well Beck, looks like we're in for a tough fight," noted the Huntress, her attention on the man in Nergigante armor as he nodded in assent.

"Tough indeed, Cory," replied Nessus, "So are we all ready?"

"You know it!" Ty boasted.

"Then let's get ready…whatever last-minute preparations you need to make, make them now."

…

[Wildspire Waste, night]

The crackle of a campfire broke through the night sky as Maya Shepard cooked a large hunk of Aptonoth meat on a spit, the oil from the melting fat dripping onto the open flame. Norma sat nearby, her mouth a waterfall of saliva from the scent of shiny, fatty meat mingling in with the scent of wild herbs being sprinkled on. Both were wearing the suits of armor they had prepared for this mission several days earlier; plates of white against dark chainmail, contrasted with a red left pauldron, and a red dragon painted on the upper-left corner of the cuirass. Their helmets and weapons were set aside to keep watch for monsters and the cooking, but were within reach if trouble were imminent.

Perched nearby on Shepard's weapon was a large, dark blue beetle with a prominent pair of mandibles, big enough to sit comfortably on a dinner plate. The Insect Glaive it relaxed on had an axe-shaped blade on the business end, and a crescent blade on the other.

Sitting near the duo was a raven-haired woman with bluish-gray eyes that was scribbling away on a large book at her lap. She had pale skin from growing up on the hinterlands, which was pulled taut over the lithe, muscular body of a gymnast…or a Nargacuga ready to pounce. Her attire included a skimpy white, two-piece jumpsuit with black sleeves that hugged her eye-catching curves, and a black pair of knee-length, high-heeled boots. Most would have wondered what such a delicate-looking woman was doing in such a dangerous place as the New World, but Maya had seen her handler Miranda Lawson in action enough times to know that she could hold her own in a pinch.

"How long until it's done, meowster?" Norma asked.

"Not long," Maya drawled, giving the hunk of meat another few turns on the spit, "And now we're good!"

Norma's ears perked up in joy as Maya began carving the meat. "Finally! Something to cheer us up!"

"Well, better enjoy it while you can," Miranda warned, closing her book in favor of reaching for her plate, "If we can't find that Black Diablos within the next few days, we won't get paid."

Their meal was a consolation prize, considering that her prey had yet to be found. It'd been a few days since Maya and Norma had set foot in the Waste, and still no sign of a Black Diablos, and it was getting fairly close to the one-week deadline before they had to report back. Despite that, their quest wasn't exactly a loss; they'd managed to harvest a good amount of materials during their trek. Their meal was a recent carve from an Apceros that the Huntress had carved up at the beginning of the hunt, with enough left over for Maya and Miranda to store in their quarters for a few days.

As the trio bit down into their meal, a small flash lit up the night sky, followed by a 'bang!' in the distance like a firecracker suddenly going off, startling them on the first bite. Maya's food was accidentally tossed into the fire, while Norma's meat was thrown into the air before landing on her head. Only Miranda was able to catch her cut of meat, before it flew into Maya's face.

"What was that?!" Miranda asked, setting her dish aside to help the Palico with her predicament. The three of them turned their attention to the sky, watching as a red comet sped across the stars in the distance, leaving behind a small cloud in its wake. Before long, bright lights escaped the cloud, scattering in the sky before speeding to the ground, followed by two large objects.

…

[Ancient Forest]

Sam searched the forest floor with his Palico Mandy in tow, keeping a lookout for anything strange in the environment, his Greatsword at the ready in the event of trouble. It was a large weapon with a blade that consisted of a long, pointy spire of crystallized bone with hooked prongs protruding from the sides along its length; four on one side, three on the other. The grip was a long metal rod that was flared on both ends, with a leather and fur wrap near the guard and pommel, leaving the middle exposed.

So far, there was nothing of note in their investigation; the animals were still going about their business, although they were still very subdued…as though they were just coming back out of hiding. A sign that there was no Elder Dragon in the area; he _did_ however find tracks belonging to a Kushala Daora not too far from his current location, which was not a surprise given that it was known to frequent the Ancient Forest more than the Elder's Recess. It was for that particular reason that Sam chose the Thundersword for this expedition, as there was very little that could rival the raw power of thunder that the Kirin commanded━a power that Kushala Daora were weak to.

"What's the big deal, nya?" asked Mandy, huffing exasperatedly, "Where's the Elder Dragon?"

"I think we just missed it," replied Sam, sighing in disappointment as he studied a metal scale left behind on a large mushroom by the Kushala Daora, "The trail is too cold for the Scoutflies to follow."

"So what're we gonna now?"

"I'd hate to let a trip like this go to waste, so let's report back to Kelly and make use of this time to get some more materials for later," suggested the Hunter, "With any luck, we'll find a Pukei-Pukei or a Rathalos when we get back."

Mandy's mood perked instantly. "That's great! I was wondering when we'd get some exercise!"

Shepard nodded as the duo walked back to the campsite. It had been several weeks since he, Maya, Gaia, and Nessus investigated the Confluence of Fates with Admiral Epcar and Silverstein the Wyverian Seeker, and the subsequent confrontation against the Elder Dragon that would be known as Xeno'jiiva. In that time, the four of them were still getting over the fact that they'd survived their first encounter with a never-before-seen creature, becoming Commander Price's Sapphire Stars. After all the celebrations, they went their separate ways, but remained friends that would come to each others' aid, especially whenever such a threat would return. Still, he could not get his mind off the fact that such a creature came from the stars was a disturbing thought to Sam, and made him ponder as to what more was beyond their world.

His thoughts were interrupted by a loud explosion in the distance, like a firecracker going off.

"Nya! Meowster, look at the sky!" Mandy said, pointing excitedly at the sky. Sam looked out into the horizon, watching bright streaks falling from a cloud in the sky like rainfall.

…

[Elder's Recess]

Tense was the atmosphere as a low, but powerful roar echoed in a chamber of crystals, its owner a spiked, and winged monstrosity thrashing about as it fought. The creature had a pair of large horns adorning its head, its body covered from its head to the tip of its tail in long, black, razor-sharp spines like bristles. It sported a large, muscular pair of forelimbs relative to its body, much like a Fanged Wyvern that were covered in more spines and ended in large, sharp claws. Under the black spines was an unarmored belly that faded from a vibrant purple near the head and shoulders to a pale orange. Of all the creatures that called the New World home, none had earned as much respect and infamy as Nergigante, a vicious animal that preyed on Elder Dragons

The four Hunters that assaulted the Nergigante all wore damaged armor from a protracted fight with the monster, but none of them were intent on surrender. Each one did their part to bring the Elder Dragon down: Nessus aimed for its tail; Ty and Beck worked at neutralizing its horns; Cory danced around its legs as she slashed at its ankles. As Nessus and Beck had weapons with the Elderseal property, both attacked as much as they possibly could, increasing the probability of destroying its black spikes and making the fight much easier. Meanwhile, Cory's Empress Daggers built up the explosive dust with every wound in the Elder Dragon's legs, eventually detonating and staggering the Nergigante, giving Ty the opportunity to land one final, heavy blow that shattered one of the Nergigante's horns while knocking it down.

With the Elder Dragon's inability to fight back as a chance to transform their weapons Nessus slashed one more time with his axe before pulling the grip of his weapon in mid-swing. The axe blade ran down along the rail with the second blade in tow before both locked in place, transitioning into Sword Mode as he cut into the Nergigante's tail. Nessus continued his assault on the tail with his sword before thrusting the transformed weapon into it, a loud whine and hissing sound issuing forth from its internal mechanisms before the tail was severed in a massive explosion that threw him off.

Beck began his transformation by punching the Nergigante in the face with his shield arm, the internal mechanism adding more force to the blow for good measure before turning to sheath sword into his shield. After pressing the sword into the sheath and pulling his arm free, the shield moved on integrated gears along rails, coming to a stop at the top of the sheath and locking in place, the blades extended as Beck brought his axe down on the Nergigante's remaining horn. With repeated blows to the head, Beck eventually severed the horn with one final chop.

The blades of the Empress Daggers lacerated Nergigante's scaly hide as Cory held both blades in a reverse grip, slashing and spinning with an ever-increasing fury as she entered the trance-like state of the Demon Dance. Even as her cuts lost their momentum, her blades still glowing with power as she danced around the Nergigante's body, explosions widening already severe lacerations in its body. The Elder Dragon got back up on its feet just in time for Ty to swing his hammer upward, catching it under the chin like an uppercut. As its head was thrown back, Nessus leaped over a mound landed on its head to thrust the massive blade of his transformed Switch Axe into the Nergigante's chest, it's mechanisms hissing and whining for a few seconds before detonating. The Nergigante's forelimbs reflexively twitched from the explosion before falling back to the ground.

All four of the Hunters stood around the carcass, solemnly silent as they offered a supplication to the Nergigante they had felled. After paying their customary respects to their prey, the Hunting Party walked towards the carcass, knives drawn and ready to carve up the Elder Dragon for viable parts when a loud bang suddenly distracted them. The four of them looked into the sky, watching bright lights streaked to the ground like comets, several of them landing in the Elder's Recess.

"What was that?" asked Cory.

"I don't know, but we can't just leave this carcass behind," Nessus advised, "After we carve up our kill, we'll split up: two of us will go send word back to Astera, while someone else will investigate that racket with me."

…

[Omega]

Hot orange lights strobed to the heavy beat thrumming through the halls of Club Afterlife as patrons of every race danced and drank their troubles away. Even as people continued to enjoy the decadent atmosphere of the club, it was business as usual for the criminal underworld that frequented its many facilities. Several Gang bosses negotiated with each other on how to divide their territory while members of the Eclipse planned their newest job. At the same time, Krogan Blood Pack members discussed their next battle with a client.

To Aria T'Loak, it was business as usual as she stood on the balcony overlooking the dancing bodies, watching all these events going on under her watch. She smirked at the thought that these people were unaware of the storm that was brewing on the horizon. Oh, she knew of the relay to Sector X, the one that people believed went to a different galaxy; after all, it was in a system lightyears away from Sahrabarik. The Council had known as well, but they chose not to explore it after that incident with the Yahg and because they didn't want the Batarians to get a foothold on that large swath of unclaimed territory.

Not long after she'd taken over Omega, Aria had taken a ship to investigate that relay out of curiosity. She would have sent a drone through it━the type that explorers used on prime relays to see what was on the other side…better than the standard model in fact. These long-distance drones could be millions of lightyears away from where they were first launched, and still be able to communicate with their mothership so long as they were near a relay. Before she could even enter the drone's mass into the relay, she received a report on the QEC that some asshole had made a power grab on the station as soon as she'd left, and was gaining momentum. Because of that, she had to rush back to Omega, take back control over the station, and hadn't left her throne since then. While she was disheartened that she had to discard her plan to colonize and rule a whole new galaxy, the desire to go through that relay had never left; to that end, she'd had Nyreen and Liselle keep an eye on particular movements that would have gone to Sector X.

When the Rydia twins came to the Sahrabarik System on retrofitted _Armali's_, Aria was curious; the second their crews were allowed to have shore leave, she ordered Grizz to bring them over. After briefly sizing up the twins and informing them of her number one rule, she got around to what they were doing on her turf. They told her that their mission from the Council was classified, which was already a big hint that the fatheads were up to something; the fact that they left the system using their FTL drives to go in the direction of the relay to Sector X all but confirmed what they were planning to do.

As she settled on her couch with a shot of ryncol in hand, Aria smirked in amusement. There was no way that this action would go unnoticed; a move as big as sending someone into Sector X was bound to get leaked sooner or later. And when that happened, there would be quite a ruckus as everyone would have an interest in that wide expanse of unclaimed territory.

After having a sip of her Ryncol, Aria toasted. "Good luck you two; you're gonna need it to survive out there."

…

_**\Platform Status: Platform #62053 Online**_

_**\Platform Code: **********************_

_**\Consensus in Chatroom? Yes**_

_**\Topic: Sector X**_

_**\Citadel Council assigned Rydia Saria and Rydia Scotia to explore and settle Sector X with retrofitted Armali-class Heavy Frigates designated "Book of Discovery" and "Book of Bravery." Expedition overseen by SPECTRE operators Nihlus Kryik and Jondum Bau. Eventual goal is to find a viable method to return to Citadel Space, and re-establish communication with Council.**_

_**\Data on Sector X unknown, hypothesize that Old Machines know of it. Will inquire Heretics for more data.**_

_**\Relay to Sector X (henceforth Relay X) larger than standard prime relay, theorized to open to new galaxy, located approximately 30 lightyears beyond Sahrabarik System. Probability of organic survival through relay: Unknown.**_

_**\T'Loak Aria has shown interest in investigating Relay X, but rebellion at Station Omega forced her to abandon plans for exploration. Remains unable to explore due to instability of her influence in the station, but open to an opportunity to explore Sector X.**_

_**\Proposed course of action: Reconnaissance━ send one platform to investigate Council activity in Sector X.**_

_**\Urgent! Recent relevant organic activity detected:**_

_**\\-"Book of Discovery" and "Book of Bravery" have used Relay X; all contact at last known communications buoy has been lost.**_

_**\\-Unofficial Batarian activity, single ship designated "Implacable" acting on intelligence of Relay X, moving to investigate.**_

_**\\-Okeer Warlord reached agreement with Krogan Blood Pack to create army of krogan from materials provided by Collectors, hypothesize eventual intent to conquer Sector X.**_

_**\\-Shadow Broker activity on the rise; intent unknown, but Sector X has cropped up in multiple searches. Speculation: Shadow Broker intends to enter Relay X, potentially to gain foothold in Sector X. Plans include revealing the whereabouts of Wrex Urdnot and female Krogan clan to Wreav Urdnot. Will investigate veracity of speculation.**_

_**\Consensus Verdict Required: Send one platform on mission to observe and investigate organic activity in Sector X?**_

_**\Consensus compiling data: Verdict 0.05% reached…**_

…

_**Codex:**_

_**Armali-class Heavy Frigate**_

Armali was an Asari warrior that was said to have been half-goddess. She was said to have gone on an adventure that would be known as the Twelve Labors to atone for the sin of murdering her family in a fit of madness. Such was her legend that her name would be identified with a powerful city on Thessia.

For such a small ship, the _Armali_-class Heavy Frigate is designed specifically to take and dole out punishment in equal measures. To that end, it has been equipped with thickened armor plating and strong kinetic barriers, along with powerful mass effect engines that gave it better mobility. Its armaments include mass accelerator turrets, and a spinal-mounted mass-accelerator gun that enabled it to menace ships larger than itself.

With new designs such as that of the _Destiny Ascension_ coming out of the production line, many venerable Armali's have been decommissioned ever since the Krogan Rebellions…however, a handful of them still remain in service until the Republics have been sufficiently updated. Those that are not still on duty are often retrofitted for other purposes including scientific research.

…

_**A/N: I wonder what destroyed the Discovery...?**_

_**In the future, I think of what the Council will think of the Monster Hunter planet (no formal name yet) if word **_**were** _**to reach them. I myself have a feeling that the galactic community will see it as somewhat of a planet version of Australia or even Africa; a world of beauty and extreme danger with a lot of potential, where only the strong and hardy can survive.**_

_**If you've noticed the canon Handler being named "Eden," that's because I have decided to name the members of the main cast after their voice actors…or at least, refer to other characters they've voiced over. For example, we have Admiral Epcar (Richard Epcar), Seeker is named Silverstein (Keith Silverstein), and the Field Team Leader would be Levi (Attack On Titan's Levi Ackerman, voiced by Matthew Mercer, who also voiced over the Huntsman). **_

_**Now to answer some anonymous reviewers:**_

_**Writing Warrior: Not only was your Hunter too big, but entering his numbers into a BMI calculator said that he was severely underweight, which is why I changed his height to a more attainable and believable 7'4" (rounded up to 224 cm) to make him fit. This may seem small, but remember that Andre the Giant was around that height, and was much heavier when he was still active.**_

_**TyrannoForce: Not all the races just yet, just people that would be immediately useful in an expedition into unknown territory. Elcor and Volus, for example would probably be more useful after a settlement has been established; on the other hand, Krogan and Quarians would be more immediately useful for the initial stages. There **_**would** _**of course be Drell on the expedition, as they would be very useful as scouts.**_

_**FantasySci-FiMax: Every review you leave behind gives me more things to address, and fills my head with ideas on how to proceed. Suffice to say, not everyone will appear in Sector X immediately, but I do have ideas on what will happen.**_

_**The Question: Basically it **_**is** _**another Galaxy…in fact, I'm pretty much doing Andromeda here to depart from the usual Relay 314 Incident.**_

_**I am still taking character appearance requests, and I apologize for it being late, but I decided to have the Athame colonists follow the Iceborne storyline after they settle in, so they should be in High-rank gear. Please PM or review to me if you have a character you want to show up with the following info:**_

_**Name:**_

_**Race: Human or Wyverian (They're the only races we see doing any active hunting)**_

_**Gender: No transgenders, please! I doubt Monster Hunter-verse has the materials necessary to even have transgenders.**_

_**Sexual Identity: Gay? Straight? Bi? Omni?**_

_**Age:**_

_**Height: In centimeters**_

_**Weight: In kilograms**_

_**Body Type: Slim, Muscular?**_

_**Skin Color:**_

_**Eye Color:**_

_**Hair Color:**_

_**Notable Features: Tattoos, scars, amputations, etc.**_

_**Personality:**_

_**History: Just a little of what they've done before going to the New World, like what was the biggest monster they killed, or where they come from. That, and what they've been doing while in the New World.**_

_**Guild Status: Are they still active? If not, then what do they do now? Are they Guild Knights?**_

_**Handler: Do they answer to a Handler, or to a receptionist? If they answer to a Handler, give a brief description of them; name, gender, personality.**_

_**Hunter Rank: Are they Low- or High-ranked?**_

_**Equipment: Just what weapon they normally use, and the armor they're wearing**_

_**Knife: Describe the knife they carry; i.e. instead of the knife you see in-game, Nessus carries a big recurve bowie with a blackened, full-tang Damascus steel blade, brass s-guard, and an antler grip. (This is optional)**_

_**Palico Name: Name your Hunter's Palico**_

_**Palico Description: Describe the physical appearance; tail length, fur thickness, eye color, etc.**_

_**Palico Equipment: Describe the Palico's weapon, gear, and armor**_

_**Palico Personality: Describe the Palico's demeanor**_


	4. Coral Highlands

_**A/N: Yo**_

_**It's been a while. You have the appearance of the Guild Palace weapons to thank for my hiatus…those weapons are bling-tastic.**_

_**That, and the writing of other stories.**_

_**Anyway, I hope this chapter still satisfies, so do please read and review, would you kindly?**_

_**And keep it classy!**_

…

[Unknown Garden World]

Tali stirred awake, her vision a blur as she made sense of her surroundings. The first thing she saw was a bright light that shone through her helmet.

"Suffered any injuries?" came a fast-paced voice in her ear. The shapes began to transition from blobs of reds and black, into the scaly form of a Salarian with a flashlight in his hand. Upon noticing the broken horn on his head, Tali quickly recognized it to be Discovery's medic and scientist Mordin Solus.

"I'll be fine, Mordin," Tali said, undoing her safety belt, "How many survived?"

"On the lifeboat? All ten passengers that came with us accounted for!" Mordin droned, putting down the flashlight, "You got lucky; not know how many survived after animal attack."

Tali stared back at Mordin as he switched on his omni-tool. "I'm sorry, but did you say _animal_?"

"Saw it from the medical bay," answered the Salarian doctor, scanning her with his omni-tool, "Too fast for others to see, not to honed Salarian eyes; _Discovery_ attacked by a very large animal. No fractures and suit punctures, and visor still in one piece; should be fine. Will check up on other patients now."

As Mordin deactivated his omni-tool and left the area, Tali sat up from her seat, her stance wobbly as she tried to find her bearings. She could remember the crewmembers scrambling towards the nearest lifeboat after that thing somehow bypassed the _Discovery's_ kinetic barriers and punched through her armor-plated hull with impunity. Whatever it was had hit the _Discovery_ so hard, that the chain reaction from punching straight through the hull practically broke the ship in two…it happened so fast that only a Salarian like Mordin could see it.

Confident in her ability to walk again, Tali reached for a large weapon stashed in the racks in between the seats before sighing in displeasure upon seeing that it was a shorter version of the Turian-made Pilum rifle. It resembled a larger, heavier Phaeston that mounted a low-powered scope and fired high-caliber rounds, which in turn necessitated a semi-automatic action; quite a few Quarians on Pilgrimage praised it for its reliability. Overall, not a bad choice in her opinion, the only problem being that it was not one she was comfortable with wielding; as good of a gun the Pilum was, Tali didn't have the patience that a marksman rifle -much less a sniper!- demanded. Still, she kept it slung across her shoulder; after the animal attack that sunk the _Discovery, _she doubted that her Predator would do much good should they run into it again.

Once she was suitably armed, Tali walked towards the door to the pod to see Quarians and several Salarians gathering the emergency ration crates while holding their rifles at the ready. Some were still injured, but were doing their job to the best of their ability. Of those faces, she remembered one male Quarian in the red suit of a Migrant Fleet Marine. "Good to see you're still alive, Tali,"

"Kal!" Tali said, running towards her fellow Quarian, "Are you okay?"

"Just fine, just a bit shaken from the landing," answered Kal, "It's not everyday we survive the destruction of a ship, keelah se'lai."

"What's happening now?"

"Shelter is first priority," answered Mordin, "Judging by the animal that attacked Discovery, can expect others of comparable size. Need to establish camp to treat remaining injuries, lucky to have crashed through a cave."

Tali nodded. "I'll establish the beacon then, the _Bravery_ needs to know where we are if they are to save us."

…

[Council Expeditionary Vessel _Book of Bravery_, Captain's Quarters]

Scotia snapped the armor plates onto the hardpoints on her full-body mesh. It had taken her a good amount of time to armor up to that point, after assigning the teams to coordinate the rescue mission, her motions a desperate rush. After that, she checked the weapons she had chosen to take with her to the planet; an Acolyte fresh from the printer and customized to her specifications and a Disciple shotgun that she'd reclaimed from a Krogan Battlemaster as loot. However, if all else failed, she had a sword with a thickened spine, and a forward-heavy recurve blade the size of her thigh; it was a little more brute force than most Asari swords, but this was a utilitarian kopis, not a specialized tachi.

Satisfied with her preparations, Scotia holstered her guns and sheathed her sword before rushing towards the door; as it slid open, she saw Nihlus behind it, his hand ready to knock. "Ten minutes away from the CIC, and you're already prepared," he said, almost astonished, "Most Huntresses I know of would've needed twenty just to suit up."

"Out of my way, Nihlus," she said.

At this, Nihlus folded his arms across his chest while leaning against the door frame. "You know I can't do that."

Scotia clenched her fist, cracking her knuckles as she glared menacingly at the SPECTRE. "Out of my way, or you'll be feeling it for the next week or so."

"And I know how you fight," he said, unimpressed with her threat, "I've seen you and your sister in your days as duelists. Alone, you're both good, but you're Justicar-level when you fight together; and trust me, I've _fought_ a Justicar before. In your emotional state, you wouldn't be able to last two seconds with me."

"You have any siblings?" Scotia asked.

At this, Nihlus shrugged. "No, I'm an only child."

"Then you wouldn't understand what it's like," Scotia groused, "My sister and I have always been one half of the same person…our bond is such that we simply complete each other. The thought of us losing the other, it's like missing a part of yourself. I made the call to dodge that thing, so it's my responsibility to save her and anyone else I can."

"You're right, I _don't _understand," admitted the SPECTRE, "But I _do_ know that you're the CO of this ship, and we can't afford to lose you. I may be the XO, but how can you expect me to take command of a ship when I've worked alone my whole life? Stay here, coordinate the rescue mission, and dead or alive, I'll bring your sister back."

Scotia and Nihlus stared at each other, a silent battle of wills waged between them. In the end, Scotia broke the gaze with a sigh. "Fine, you win. But you're going to take my spot on the team."

"Fair enough," Nihlus agreed, as he turned to leave.

"By the way Nihlus, if you're going down there, that lone ookami act of yours won't cut it," Scotia interjected, causing the SPECTRE to pause mid-step, "You've seen the images; the wildlife on that planet is too dangerous for you to go it alone, and I am not letting my resident SPECTRE get eaten by any of the animals. If you still insist on making progress on your own, then at least take someone with you so that they can at least help bail you out when things go wrong."

As he left the CO behind, Nihlus waved his hand dismissively. Scotia smirked before switching on the communicator on her omni-tool. "Garrus, there's been a change of plans; Nihlus is going with you instead."

"Really? You seemed dead-set on coming."

"He's a better speaker than I thought," she said, "But I'm not letting him run off on his own…so tell Thane not to take his eyes off his new partner or he'll get eaten."

…

[Astera]

The morning sun shone as Commander Price stood at the conference table with the other key players in Astera present. It had been hours since the commotion last night, and everybody had just calmed down; Wingdrakes carrying summons for Commander Saffioti and Robinson were promptly sent out to the Research Base during the chaos, which made it easier for them to come to the meeting on time. Admiral Epcar was at the canteen enjoying a few drinks before going back into the field, which also made it fortunate he came. The only ones who were absent were the Sapphire Stars and their handlers.

"All right, people, let's get this meeting started," announced Commander Price, "Just last night, an explosion went off in the sky. We don't know what caused it, but five streaks of light emerged from it. We've yet to determine what they are, but they've all landed here in the New World. But before we do anything about it, we need to make sure everything's secure here."

"Everything's calmed down here, Old Man," answered Levi, "Wasn't easy, but we managed to get every Hunter here to settle down until this meeting's up."

Price nodded gratefully at his grandson before turning his attention back to the gathering. "How are our supplies?"

"Commander, we have more than enough to prepare for an investigation in the matter," answered the Provisions Manager.

"Who do we already have out in the field?"

"All four of the Sapphire Stars are out on the field," answered the Analytics Director, shifting through his notes, "Maya Shepard was last seen heading to the Waste on a Black Diablos hunt; her brother is investigating a Kushala Daora sighting in the forest; Nessus has taken a team on that mission to slay a Nergigante; and Gaia is in the Coral Highlands, hunting a Legiana."

"Then they will no doubt investigate by themselves, before reporting back," acknowledged Commander Price, "Send Anderson to manage the investigation into the Rotten Vale. We'll need to know everything we can, so until then, we're suspending all other expeditions." Everyone at the table nodded in affirmation. "By the way, I know this is not an ideal time to bring this up, but before this chaos happened, I've got word from the Guild that Admiral Hackett is on his way here."

Everyone at the meeting looked at Commander Price with no shortage of surprise on their features. Admiral Epcar let out a joyous laugh. "Well I'll be. Old Steven's finally decided to come on over!"

"He's coming here in a few weeks to check on things, so we'll need to resolve everything before he gets here," continued Commander Price, "I want to be able to tell him that everything's fine, and that we've got the whole thing handled. So let's hustle, people!"

…

[Unknown Garden World]

Tali pressed a few buttons on the data pad before looking up at the antenna victoriously. The reception was difficult to pierce through given the nearby mountains and clouds, but she'd managed to strengthen the signal. She then placed the datapad back into the beacon and settled down with a levo energy drink in hand, before noticing Mordin walking towards her.

"How goes the beacon assembly?" asked Mordin.

"It's already done, Mordin," Tali answered, closing the cover to the beacon's controls, "It wasn't easy, but I managed to get a signal out. Hopefully, that'll be enough to get us a rescue. What about the others?"

The old Salarian sighed. "Physical damage not too serious, got away just in time; mental damage hard to say. Two have just died from wounds."

Tali nodded in understanding. The flotilla had had its share of Quarians coming back from pilgrimages with tales of near-death experiences, some of whom hadn't recovered. She herself was still trying to come to terms with the fact that her ship was destroyed by an animal attack of all things, instead of a missile. "But no time to worry," Mordin said, "Opportunity to explore presented itself. Need to bring a team for an expedition."

Tali looked at Mordin with no small amount of skepticism in her eyes. "At a time like this?"

"Need to know more about the environment we have landed in," explained the old Salarian, "Must know about wildlife and potentially about neighbors we are staying with. Besides, sightseeing seems to be the optimal way to take mind off the situation. Already have one member, need one more."

Looking out into the distance, Tali knew that Mordin was right; if they were trapped on this planet, they needed to at least know where they were. "I'll come with you," she answered, readying her rifle, "I think I need a change of scenery anyway."

Tali followed Mordin to who else she was going to explore the environment with, only to find someone already waiting for them.

"Tali'Zorah, trust you know Kal'Reegar," said Mordin.

In her mind, Tali wasn't surprised that Kal had volunteered. Most of the Quarians that came along were still in the middle of their pilgrimage, but were capable of defending themselves if the need arose; Kal, on the other hand, was among the few marines the Flotilla had sent, and he had plenty of experience. All in all, he was a good choice for an expedition in the wilderness.

Whatever Tali had to say to her fellow Quarian was lost when a thought had finally crossed her mind. "Keelah! I just remembered! I need to scan both your omni-tools!"

"What for?" Kal asked.

"I've been developing an app in need of testing," she replied, turning on an app on her omni-tool, "It's supposed to use omni-tools synced up with mine to scan the environment, then ping the signal back to the beacon so that we can map out the locale wherever we go. Problem is that we need to stay within range of the beacon for it to work, so this expedition will last until we get to its outer limits. If this works…"

"Then time spent on cartography reduced," Mordin finished excitedly, "Could also help if we get lost!"

"Exactly!" Tali replied, "Though I still have to work out the kinks for this program, which is why I need to test it out now to see how well it works."

"Is everyone ready?" asked Mordin, passing his active omni-tool over Tali's, "Expedition begins as soon as omni-tools sync up and we pick up our rations."

Kal activated his own omni-tool, and did the same before slapping the charging handle on his rifle. "I've got point,

The walk through the environment was quiet, as nobody wanted to attract the attention of the local fauna. Even as Tali kept her eyes out for threats, the expedition had revealed that the place their escape pod had landed in was a rocky highland barren of any noticeable plants. There was a haunting beauty about the locale as they took in the sights, with a subtle hum that added to the serenity of the ecology. The first thing she saw in the distant skyline were large, winged creatures floating lazily in the sky.

"Amazing," said Mordin, glancing from his binoculars to his omni-tool periodically, "In addition being extremely light, arthropods must be held aloft by strong updraft somewhere."

"Reminds me of a scene I saw on a vid of an ocean floor somehow," Kal noted, looking up at the sky.

"Indeed, creatures look like they wouldn't be out of place in an aquatic environment," agreed the Salarian scientist, "Would like to study more, but mapping the area of utmost importance."

The three of them walked around the area until she came to a stop near a particular colorful formation in the rock. It was pink, with a somewhat bumpy and porous texture, and had a pale pink coloration. "What is this thing?" Tali asked, admiring the formation.

Mordin raised his hand with the omni-tool active, scanning the item on the rock. "Some type of coral. Interesting, normally find this in an ocean, not on land. However, caution still recommended; surface appears coarse enough to grind through tight weaving of Quarian suits and cause severe abrasions."

Tali nodded in agreement. Getting a cut then dying of infection was already a bad enough fate for a Quarian, but at least there was a chance to survive; an abrasion was even worse, as entire _areas_ of the skin would be cut open and exposed to all manner of contaminants.

Kal led the exploration team through a rocky outcrop and down a gravelly slope that gently descended into a stunning view of the valley below. Gigantic colonies of coral rose up from the ground, with branches that made them look like trees bare of leaves and flowers, while tiny creatures flitted about in the air and picked at the coral before darting away. As they walked through the forest of coral, Tali could also see larger animals as they went about their business; they were slender, their fur came in either green or blue, and they had dangerous-looking horns atop their heads. It was a tranquil scene, with a light breeze blowing through the forest.

"It's beautiful," noted Tali, lowering her rifle to see the small flying creatures pecking at the coral with their beaks.

"Amazing how normally aquatic organisms such as coral can be adapted for terrestrial life," Mordin agreed, "Here, coral serves in same capacity as trees, and likely reproduce using animals to carry eggs elsewhere. What other oddities does this planet contain?"

"Once we establish a colony on this rock, we'll have all the time in the galaxy to find out," reminded Tali, "Right now, we should be mapping out the entire area…" She was cut off when her omni-tool displayed a red warning sign. "We're near the end of the beacon's reception; good thing too, because we've got plenty of data. If we turn back now, we can get back before it gets dark.

Before anyone could say a word on the matter, a shrill roar pierced the air from above. Everyone looked up to see a large, bipedal creature flying into a clearing in the coral, beating its leathery wings gently as it landed on four talon-tipped toes in a digitigrade stance. It had a long neck and tail and was covered through its entire length in overlapping pink plates and scales, though the expedition team quickly noted patches of quills on the shoulders and its bladed talons lining its wings. Long, bony spines tipped the tail like a paintbrush, while the head terminated in a bony spike jutting out from the chin. As the creature roared, the expedition team was frozen in place upon seeing that it had a set of razor-sharp teeth that could only belong to a carnivore. There was a certain majesty about the creature, as though it were the ruler of its environment; possibly its apex predator.

The pink animal folded its wings against its chest before shaking its body before it finally noticed the four exploration team. It turned towards them, spreading its bladed wings before letting out an ear-piercing roar that caused Tali and Kal to reflexively aim their rifles and pull the trigger as fast as they could in a panic before Mordin could protest. The marksman rifle rounds were unable to penetrate the animal's bony plates, the attempt at killing it only succeeded in angering the winged monstrosity as it let out an even louder roar before taking off into the air, flying towards them. Panicked, Kal and Tali fired off a few more rounds before giving up as the pink animal dove at them

"Everyone, scatter!" shouted Kal.

The expeditionary team ran in different directions as the animal landed talons first, dust kicked up upon impact with the ground. After seeing that the other members of the team were too far away, the creature quickly took an interest in Tali as she was the closest of the attackers to it, its predatory instincts triggered by the sight of fleeing prey. The terror of being chased by an angry, apparently bulletproof animal overrode any sense of direction the Quarian engineer desperately looked for a safe spot to hide until her eyes quickly found a hole in a cliff face near the ground.

Not even bothering to contemplate whether she would fit through, Tali vaulted through the hole and landed in a puddle of water. She could hear the rapid gallop of large feet gradually coming to a skidding halt as the predator paced around her hiding place, sporadically looking through the hole. As if deciding she wasn't worth the trouble, the pink animal let out an exasperated huff before walking away.

Listening as the creature walked away, Tali slumped into the puddle, her body weary from the chase as she let out a relieved sigh as she counted her blessings.

…

[Armax Arsenal Praetorian-class Gunship _Tonitrus-1_]

The hangar of the _Bravery_ was busy as the crews made sure the Praetorians were ready to embark on a rescue mission to the Garden World. The mission they had was fairly simple; rescue the survivors of the _Discovery_ or at least help them establish a base camp. To that end, the gunships were gutted of their heavy support weapons in exchange for additional transport space, leaving only the mass accelerator door guns behind if things went wrong. Each gunship had a mission to aid one escape pod, which meant that five would be needed.

Nihlus sat in his seat as he waited for the rest of his own team to arrive, fuming at the fact that he had to be assigned a partner _and_ a team. To be fair, the captain had a point: it simply wouldn't do to go alone on a planet where the wildlife was extremely deadly. In all honesty, he couldn't have been given a better team; aside from himself, he was also in a team with Garrus Vakarian, a couple of Nakmor scouts to serve as heavy-hitters, an Asari Sentinel, and his apparent partner Thane Krios.

Thankfully, the green-skinned Drell that sat next to him didn't make any attempts at conversation, though that may have mostly been due to the mood that Thane Krios was in. There was a certain amount of worry in the former assassin's movements as he triple-checked his Krysae rifle's mechanisms and systems, and he could see it in the subtle tremble every time he checked the thermal clip. It also extended to the way that he was also dressed for the mission; normally, Nihlus would've seen him in formalwear on and off the ship, but now he was dressed in the light, tactical armor of a scout.

Aside from the sniper rifle, Nihlus also noted that Krios also carried a fairly large knife. It was much larger than the Hierarchy-standard Pugio, and had a forward-heavy, slightly-recurved blade ideal for chopping with a clip-point, and a serrated spine for use as a saw. It was the same knife that was in every emergency kit; it was a very versatile knife that was able to do whatever job the user demanded of it. Given that much of the Garden World was ruled by nature, it was essential that everyone to carry a knife; though Nihlus preferred the omni-blade app as a rule of thumb.

Nihlus gently tapped Thane on the shoulder, nearly startling the old Drell from his thoughts. "Are we good, Krios?"

"For this mission?" Thane asked back, "Optimal."

"With any luck, we'll be able to complete this rescue, and then we can go our separate ways," Nihlus assured, more to himself than anyone else.

"This mission is as personal to me as it is for the Captain," answered the Drell, "I'll make sure we complete it."

As the engines of the Praetorian fired up, Nihlus looked at his erstwhile partner, wondering what was going on in the old Drell's head while sharpening his survival knife. His mentor Saren once drilled a very simple adage into his head while under his tutelage as a SPECTRE candidate: _everyone_ had a price, the only difference being how much. He was immediately reminded of that when the Rydia Twins picked out the people they did for the expedition━for the Krogans and the Quarians, it was the promise of a fresh start in a new world; for some like the famed scientist Mordin Solus, it was the opportunity to explore new territory. Everyone else seemed to have fairly clear motives for being on the expedition, which begged the question as to how the Twins managed to procure Thane's services for this mission, considering the Drell Assassin was not known to take on pro-bono jobs.

Still, he wasn't one to, in Asari terms, look the gift-uma in the mouth. Drell Assassins were known for their ability to take a life, but they were also extremely adept as spies and scouts, which was why the Twins tried to find as many as possible for the expedition. Given what he specialized in, an assassin of Thane's caliber would keep up well in the reconnaissance missions he would be running for his rescue team.

…

[Unknown Garden World]

The momentary respite that Tali had earned from her escape was all the time that she needed to recover her strength in the small grotto she'd found, eating while taking stock of her supplies. As much as she disliked the flavor of the levo food paste she had in her ration kit, it was all she had to keep her strength up until she could get back to camp for something better. Still, it was _one_ of the things she was able to keep on her person.

After finishing her equipment check, Tali was not too happy with what she saw in her kit. On the plus side, she still had a light medkit with bandages, antibiotics, and medigel, which meant that minor injuries would be the least of her worries in the near future. As far as food was concerned, she still had four remaining tubes of Turian food paste, each of which would give her at least enough calories to last a day if she rationed them.

In terms of armaments, she was not in a good position: her Pilum was destroyed when she accidentally dropped it in the animal's path, wherein it was crushed underfoot. The good news was that Tali had modified her Predator to fire high-caliber rounds just before fixing the beacon, but even _she_ knew that pistols were intended as emergency weapons. Still, she had a few tricks up her sleeves if even _that _modification wasn't enough; a boot knife in the event she ran out of ammo, and her trusty combat drone Chatika Vas Paus.

Satisfied with her preparations, Tali packed up what she had left and decided to continue the expedition, her high-caliber Predator at the ready. Since she was separated from the rest of the team, she needed to get more of a reference point before finding her way back to the escape pod. As she traveled deeper into the grotto, she found an exit that opened up to even more beauty than the area the team had crashed into. Unlike the crash site, there were tall rocks that stretched out to the sky like towers, and there was far more coral in abundance; everywhere she saw was covered in coral of different colors, most prominent of which being varying shades of vibrant pink. It was the sort of place that a Hanar would feel most at home in, of which she could see smaller versions of floating around in the air.

After taking a moment to admire the scenery, Tali felt no small amount of shock upon noticing the first signs of civilization on the planet in the form of a walkway up against a rock wall. Feeling the need to investigate, she decided to jump across the chasm; the distance wasn't too far apart, but it was more than enough to remind the engineer to mind her step, lest she fall to her death. As she climbed onto the structure, she could see more details of its construction as she tread upon it; the deck, scaffolding, and the flight of stairs were made from thick cuts of oiled wood. The net that she climbed was made of white ropes that were thick enough to potentially support the weight of a few Krogan while eliminating the need for ladders. By no means was she an expert on carpentry, much less architecture, but she could tell that the structure was well-made for its purpose…though having to climb two sets of nets made her appreciate the slow-moving cargo elevators even more.

Tali climbed over the ridge of the wall to see a large, leather-covered tent with strange markings on it. Behind it, she could see four small tables and seats, as well as a lit oven all made from natural stone; it was arranged to give the diners a nice view from above. Curiosity overtook her as she decided to explore the campground further, until she spotted something jutting out near the bushes.

As she rounded the corner of the tent, Tali found items planted into the ground. Their jagged, pyramidal heads were long enough to be used as short swords, and their wooden shafts were even longer. Were it not for the feathers and notches at the other end, they could easily have been mistaken for javelins; their size alone would have been useful for something like a portable, crew-served artillery piece, but she saw no such assembly in the camp. "Keelah, what do these people shoot these things _from_?"

Whatever thoughts she had on the matter were cut off when she heard the sound of a metallic object assembling, accompanied the light creaking of a tense string being pulled taut. Upon turning around to see who was behind her, Tal quickly found herself staring at an alien wearing what looked like a blue jacket with red trim over a suit of armor. Its face was obscured by the metal helmet that it wore, but she noted the appearance of red lips tightened into a fierce snarl. However, she quickly noted that the alien was wielding a large, mechanical bow with one of the oversized arrows loaded into it.

"_Te o agero!"_

…

**Codex**

**Armax Arsenal Pilum Battle Rifle**

The Pilum was a single-use javelin that revolutionized the way warfare was waged on Palaven, as it allowed Turian Legionnaires to force their enemy to drop their shield. It, along with the Gladius and Scutum, are weapons that are most associated with the Turian Empire, the forerunner to the modern Turian Hierarchy.

While it has long been superseded by the Phaeston as a frontliner weapon and the Krysae as a sniper platform, Turian fireteams find that the Pilum is still a very good weapon in the hands of the team's designated marksman. A high degree of commonality with the Phaeston, and to a lesser extent the Krysae ensures that it can be picked up on the fly, and is generally considered a viable training tool for using and maintaining both rifles. Due to the range and hard-hitting power of its larger rounds, the modern Pilum is permanently locked in a semi-automatic setting so as to reduce felt recoil and to force the wielder to make their shots count, while also being forgiving enough for follow-up shots.

Despite being removed from its place as a service weapon, the Pilum does still see use in Turian fringe colonies as a hunting rifle, and many farmers swear by its combination of power, accuracy, and reliability. Due to this, it has seen somewhat of a resurgence in the hands of explorers.

…

_**A/N: And it's done, with a cliffhanger.**_

_**For the next few chapters, I will be putting heavier focus on where the other escape pods went, but suffice it to say they will all be mixed once they're all established. That's not to say that there won't be other viewpoints, because I will need to cover them.**_

_**Also, give a warm round of applause to ravenking64 for being the beta-reader for this story.**_

_**Please PM or review to me if you have a High-rank character you want to show up with the following info:**_

_**Name:**_

_**Race: Human or Wyverian (They're the only races we see doing any active hunting)**_

_**Gender: No transgenders, please! I doubt Monster Hunter-verse has the materials necessary to even have transgenders.**_

_**Sexual Identity: Gay? Straight? Bi? Omni?**_

_**Age:**_

_**Height: In centimeters (please make it believable)**_

_**Weight: In kilograms**_

_**Body Type: Slim, Muscular?**_

_**Skin Color:**_

_**Eye Color:**_

_**Hair Color:**_

_**Notable Features: Tattoos, scars, amputations, etc.**_

_**Personality:**_

_**History: Just a little of what they've done before going to the New World, like what was the biggest monster they killed, or where they come from. That, and what they've been doing while in the New World.**_

_**Guild Status: Are they still active? If not, then what do they do now? Are they Guild Knights?**_

_**Handler: Do they answer to a Handler, or to a receptionist? If they answer to a Handler, give a brief description of them; name, gender, personality.**_

_**Hunter Rank: Are they Low- or High-ranked?**_

_**Equipment: Just what weapon they normally use, and the armor they're wearing**_

_**Knife: Describe the knife they carry (this is optional)**_

_**Palico Name: Name your Hunter's Palico**_

_**Palico Description: Describe the physical appearance; tail length, fur thickness, eye color, etc.**_

_**Palico Equipment: Describe the Palico's weapon, gear, and armor**_

_**Palico Personality: Describe the Palico's demeanor**_


	5. Scorched Earth

_**A/N: And we're back…for now.**_

_**Hopefully, this is still up to standard after a long time on a writer's block.**_

_**Do please read and review, would you kindly?**_

_**And keep it classy!**_

…

[Unknown Garden World]

The land was on fire, like one of the deadlier locales on Tuchanka. Pools of lava could be seen in the distance, along with crystal spires about the size of a house. Aside from the labyrinthine network of caves, gigantic, hexagonal panels of basalt covered the ground at different heights, which mandated careful steps to navigate. Not helping matters in Wrex's mind was the fact that many of their supplies were on the lifeboat as it disintegrated in a river of lava. The only things they managed to salvage were the distress beacon, a handful of thermal clips for each of the eleven survivors, some prefabricated camp modules, and a few ration kits they'd managed to rescue in the nick of time. As far as weaponry went, it could have been much better: while Wrex was able to save a couple of Graal Spike Throwers (including his pride and joy "Maw Crusher"), a Striker assault rifle, a couple of old Ruzad shotguns, and a few Blood Pack Punishers and Executioners that had yet to be added to the fabricator's database.

"How much further, Wrex?" asked a female Krogan, hefting a Spike Thrower. Much of her identity was hidden under the ceremonial headgear that covered the lower half of her face, leaving her eyes to inspect the world around them. Her clothing and armor was scorched from the crash, but her spirit remained unbroken.

Wrex checked his omni-tool, and found that there were two bars on the screen, and only two more to go. The plan was to immediately vacate the area they had crashed in, and find an ideal place to settle. In order to expedite their rescue and stretch their already limited supplies, they needed to find a place on a higher altitude to set up the distress beacon. "We're okay for now, but we need to get higher before we set up camp."

As they traversed the volcanic wasteland, the Krogan survivors were able to see more of the ecology they were trapped in. The place wasn't completely burned and barren; they could see sparse patches of vegetation here and there, consisting mostly of short grasses, though the odd tree and shrub was also present. All of that pointed to signs that water existed in this place of fire, though it was in small oases.

The fauna that predominated the ecology were small amphibians that crawled around placidly while croaking periodically, as well as larger flying animals with long, sharp-toothed beaks. The largest animal they'd seen were herds of bipedal reptiles with horns on their heads that grazed on the grass found in the oases…though they did spot them grazing near the lava as well. In spite of the heat and the slight hint of noxious fumes in the air, life thrived in this land of fire.

All thoughts had come to a halt when a large shadow had blurred past the survivors, forcing them to hide on reflex. Wrex turned his attention to a male Krogan in white armor to his left, nodding in the direction that the shadow had gone; on command, the Krogan looked through the scope of his Striker while he activated an app on his omni-tool to look through his scope. While he could only see the tail, Wrex noted that the creature that showed up on his screen was far larger than the other animals the survivors had seen thus far, and it had something dangling from beneath its rotund form. Overall, it gave him the impression of a bomber that the Volus Air Force took pride in.

"Has it seen us?" asked the shamaness.

"No, but I don't like the look of that thing," Wrex answered, "Whatever it is, it can't be good."

…

[Council Chambers]

Sitting at a circular table away from the public eye were the esteemed members of the Citadel Council. It wasn't often that the Councilors ever got together face-to-face, but whenever they did, it was usually for an emergency; beyond that, it was a form of solidarity between their races to do so regularly. But to ensure the safety of the politicians in the room, each member brought two bodyguards from their own respective peoples for security.

One of the councilors was an Asari with deep blue skin, and white facial markings. While much of her musculature was hidden under the red and white pleather dress she wore, Councilor Gorgo Tevos had participated in -and won!- quite a few duels in her Maiden years on Thessia. As the centuries passed, and she mellowed out into her Matriarch stage, the representative of the Asari Republics had a very simple policy: diplomacy and compromise all the way. And thus, it fell to her to play peacemaker between the other two representatives.

Clad in a dark blue, hooded robe with a red and gold stripe going down the middle was a Salarian with blue scales and white notches printed on his chin. Councilor Nir Valern was like any other Salarian politician in that he liked his wars won before even stepping into the battlefield, preferring to send SPECTRE's or even STG operatives out to perform a surgical strike over a full-on military campaign. That being said, he was not interested in reports of questionable operations undertaken in those same surgical strikes.

On the other end of the spectrum for resolving problems was a Turian with a dark carapace and white facial markings dressed in a blue and black coat, and dark blue pants. Out of all the Councilors, Quintus Sparatus was a soldier long before he was a politician, and so he was a little more militant than his peers. As far as politics went, he was always ready to play the skeptic whenever it came time to make a decision for the Turian Hierarchy, which helped the Citadel Council strengthen its arguments by testing weak spots in any new policy.

The three councilors waited at the table as a holographic timer counted down. As soon as the last second counted out, it was Tevos that would have the first word. "Our meeting today will be in regards to the Athame Initiative's progress. It seems that the Rydia Twins have made it through Relay X, though we have lost contact with them."

"This sounds like a shitstorm waiting to happen," replied Sparatus, "I can see it on the news articles right now: 'Tragedy! Council sends explorers out to their deaths!' This is not looking good so far."

"That's too soon to say," Valern fired back, "Part of the mission statement the Twins have put forth is that they are going to also find a way back to known space from Relay X. We need to be patient if we expect to have any results from this expedition." He then turned his attention back to Tevos. "Though there is _one_ concern that vexes me: you've been against the idea of exploring Relay X since the early days of your career as Councilor. What's changed?"

"It was an idea that grew on me since the twins began to inundate me with requests to explore Sector X," answered Tevos, tenting her fingers together, "Ever since the debacle with the Yahg, what progress have we made to explore the galaxy? How long until we work up the nerve to get back on the uma, and see the universe? In that aspect, I am in agreement with the twins; bad experiences should not be an excuse to not expand our horizons…they should simply be taken as opportunities to learn from our mistakes, and to be cautious in our forays into the universe."

"And what of the Shadow War?" countered Sparatus, "Has it ever occurred to you that we may need the _Books_ back now more than ever should the Batarians decide to declare war on the rest of the Citadel races?"

"The Hegemony is officially in the middle of a ceasefire with us," Tevos reminded, "It was as good a time as any for an expedition, and an opportunity for us to put our best foot forward to whomever is on the other side of the relay. We cannot say with certainty that we will not incur another Rachni War, but at least we will be ready for the next time we send someone through Relay X."

"A sentiment that the Union would be sympathetic to," added Valern, "The Dalatrasses have been itching for an opportunity to send our own expedition into the Relay."

Sparatus sighed in exasperation while pinching the bridge of his nose. Tevos knew instantly that it was not for nothing, as the Krogan Rebellions were started when the Salarians uplifted the Krogans to fight in the Rachni War; and that was before the fact that they thought that doing the same for the Yahg was a good idea. In that regard, the Salarian Union was a double-edged sword: their scientific curiosity was much an asset to the Citadel Council as it was a liability.

"We'll need a way home before we can talk about that," Tevos added pointedly, "There's no point in sending scientists to a place of no return. The Republics are already putting together logistics for an all-Asari expedition, but what of you, Sparatus? What are your thoughts of sending an all-Turian expedition to Sector X?"

"As it is now, the Athame Initiative is a waste of money, ships, and personnel," answered Sparatus, "Whether the long-term gains of this venture will bear fruit, we'll never know; like you said, we still have to find a way to come home from Sector X before I can even _consider_ pitching the idea of an expedition to the Council of Primarchs. So for now, we will not be sending any ships through Relay X."

…

[Council Expeditionary Vessel _CSV Book of Bravery_, Bridge]

It hadn't been long since the beacons started appearing at various locations, but that was more than enough motivation for the bridge to work faster…though it wouldn't have surprised Scotia if they'd worked round the clock since yesterday. Everyone had a job to do: the _Tonitrus-1_ was sent to set up camp and secure a rendezvous point for all the survivors of the _Discovery_; meanwhile, the communications officers worked to establish contact with the escape pods. The distress beacons not only gave out the position of the survivors, but also acted as radio transceivers so that the _Bravery_ would be appraised of new developments from the survivors. So far, three beacons showed up on the continent they were sitting over; luckily, _Tonitrus-1's_ current trajectory was close enough for them to rescue one pod, maybe two if they were pushing it. The other gunships would be sent in once a camp was established, after that a shuttle would be sent to hopefully ferry the survivors back to the _Bravery_ before they were discovered by the natives.

The doors to the bridge opened, allowing passage for an older Asari in a red dress. While Scotia never doubted her sister's diplomatic skill, the addition of an Asari Matriarch in each of the _Books_ was yet another non-negotiable condition, though this one was personally tacked on by Tevos herself. Apparently, the Asari Councilor didn't trust Saria to avoid causing a political shitstorm at First Contact…which put more pressure on the twins to make sure things went smoothly. That said, there was something about Matriarch Aethyta that the elder Rydia twin liked, which was why the two of them hit it off fairly quickly; seeing her outside of the ship's minibar was something of a surprise to Scotia.

"How're things going, Captain?" she asked, a tinge of distress in her voice.

"The rescue ship is in the planet's airspace now," answered Scotia, "With any luck, they won't run into any problems on the way down."

"Do we know who got out?"

"Not yet, we're still trying to establish communications with the other beacons. So far though, we've managed to find three beacons."

Scotia was not as politically-savvy as her sister, but she knew enough to notice the slump in the matriarch's shoulders at that bit of news. "Something wrong?"

"Just feelin' it for the people that just died, y'know?"

"I don't believe it," Scotia countered, "There must've been a reason Tevos sent you to us personally."

Aethyta snorted. "Ol' Gorgo never sent me anywhere…it was Benezia that called in a favor from me to be here."

Upon hearing the name of that particular Matriarch dropped, Scotia raised an eyebrow in curiosity. Benezia was known for her wisdom among other things, along with being the mother of one of the crewmembers on the _Discovery_…a crewmember she and Saria had personally scouted out. "Does it have to do with someone on the _Discovery_?"

"I don't wanna talk about it," answered the Matriarch, "I'm still coming to terms with it myself."

Scotia nodded in understanding. "Let me know when you want to talk about it."

Aethyta said nothing, replying with an appreciative nod before leaving the bridge. Scotia turned her attention back to the screen, keeping an eye on the trajectories of the gunships, praying to the Goddess that everything went smoothly.

…

[Unknown Garden World]

Wrex stalked the wasteland with a small team of three other Krogan, their precious few shotguns in hand. With the beacon set up just yesterday and the camp established, all that was needed was to stay put and wait for rescue…though he would be damned if he had to eat _another _MRE for the duration of his stay on this planet. On the one hand, he had to give his people their due credit for making something that _didn't_ explode, as Krogan MRE's could last as long as fifty years, maybe longer given proper storage as he'd heard of some that had been around since the Rebellions and were still edible. On the other, they were filled with empty calories, and the menu contained in each package was largely the same: a block of hard bread that needed a little effort or boiling to chew through; a packet of powdered electrolytic swill to be mixed with water; a can of preserved Pyjack and Varren meat; a single-use heating element; and a bar of non-melting, stimulant-heavy candy. That said, while they were bland, they were still more palatable and satisfying than the MRE's given to other races, like those tiny boxes of freeze-dried Varren-shit given to Salarian and Asari troops, and _especially_ Turian food-paste.

Everybody in camp shared his exact sentiment, which made it easy for Wrex to round up a party to hunt and forage for tonight's dinner. In this case, the shamaness didn't need to play devil's advocate with him; they needed something to take their mind off the current situation and blow off steam━might as well stretch their rations while they were at it. For this reason, a team of four Krogan would be helpful in collecting fresh ingredients for their field cook to try out.

So far in their expedition, they'd managed to find a variety of mushrooms and herbs, but they'd found suitable prey in the horned reptiles that grazed at an oasis next to a small pool of water near a rocky outcrop with two others. As the Wrex peeked from over the crystal he was hiding behind, he was able to note that the prey was thickly-built, with a thick mane of fur covering their necks and heads while leaving their faces exposed. The shape of their horn-tipped beaks was enough of an indication that they were herbivores, and they could see another set of horns at each side of their heads. He could see the muscles rippling under their scaly hides: powerful legs and small, but strong forelimbs that could lift their bulk off the ground and keep them from drowning while drinking, and a long, sinuous tail that ended in a tuft of fur.

The prey had plenty of room to run, which was why Wrex's hunting team needed to split up so as to prepare their traps in the event they chose to run. Luckily, they had a few blocks of hard bread left to spare, and they used some of the white mushrooms they'd found to help bait their trap; all that was needed was for the signal to begin the hunt. At the same time, the shamaness hid behind another crystal, ready to intercept the herd should they try to run in her direction. With any luck, they would be able to trap at least one of the creatures so that they could bring it with them to camp.

Whatever thoughts Wrex had on mind when a ping had sounded off in his omni-tool; after quickly reading the text that was sent to him, he smiled with excitement, sending his own ping to the shamaness's Omni-tool, letting her know that it was time to commence their part in the hunt. Shouldering Maw Crusher as it fired up, he took aim at the nearest creature and pulled the trigger, sending a volley of superheated spikes down range; the projectiles hit one of the creatures, earning a low of pain as they pierced its hide and digging slightly into its flesh.

With the animal's attention on him, Wrex could see the look of pure, unadulterated fury in its eyes as it was joined by the herd. The three animals let out a low of fury before charging into him with surprising speed for a creature of their size. The shamaness came out from her hiding place to pepper one of the animals with a blast of metal shavings from her Ruzad into its eye as it passed by; while the shot was unable to pierce its hide, it _was_ able to knock it down allowing her enough time to pounce on it, and finish it off with another two shots to the head through the eye socket for good measure. That left two more animals charging towards Wrex, allowing him to fire off two more volleys of spikes before jumping aside, allowing a Krogan behind him to finish off one, while he put down the other with a shot to the knee. With the prey item down, Wrex pulled out his Executioner, and sent a massive round through its skull at point-blank.

Their prey items secured, Wrex and his hunting party dragged their dinner items to inspect their kill with pride. "We are now officially the first Krogan to hunt in Sector X," he said, with no small amount of pride, "That should tide us over for a couple weeks before we need to hunt again."

"We still need to bring them back to camp, Wrex," reminded the shamaness, "After that, we need to figure out how to ration the meat."

Wrex nodded. The camp was about a kilometer away; any further and the hunting trip wouldn't have been worth it. Still, the fact that they found a watering hole presented with yet another opportunity. "Fill your canteens with water," he ordered, "We're having a feast tonight."

Before anyone could respond, a loud 'thump' was heard nearby, accompanied by a sudden vibration at their feet. When another thump was heard, Wrex and his hunting party looked around, trying to find the source of the commotion with their weapons at the ready as they backed into each other. All was silent until the earth nearby broke apart in an explosion of dirt as a large creature burst from the ground, like a Thresher Maw. As it stood to its full height, they were able to see that it was a bipedal reptile much larger creature than the animals they'd just hunted; it was covered in dirty-green scales, and much of its body was covered in tooth-like spines, particularly on its large, thick tail, along the length of its spine, and on its pronounced underbite. Like the horned animals, it had a pair of powerful legs and strong, but stubby arms, and it viewed the world through a pair of small, yellow eyes.

Sniffing the air, the creature turned its attention towards them, throwing its head around as it let out a loud, booming roar that strained the Krogans' ear protection, disorienting them as the sound that came out of its fanged maw sounded more like a bomb going off than any animal Wrex had ever heard.

"Gun that thing down!" Wrex bellowed out.

The four Krogan sighted the creature, firing off their main weapons at it at Wrex's order; it didn't even recoil in pain as it charged towards them, saliva running off from the corners of its fang-laden maw. In a feat of agility disproportionate to its size, the creature's powerful legs brought the creature halfway towards the hunting party in three steps,

"Hit the dirt!"

All four of them ducked for cover as the creature got closer, barely flinching as it came upon one Krogan in blue armor that kept firing his Striker at the monster even as it continued its charge. The animal ignored the explosive rounds that detonated against its scales and sent the poor sod flying into a large rock with a swing of its massive head, the assault rifle dropped from his hand on impact. As the hunter tried to get his bearings back, the titanic creature was already upon him, its fanged maw open wide before snapping him up headfirst in a single bite, its teeth digging into his breastplate. The Krogan hunter's legs could be seen flailing in a panic, the sharp crack of the hunter's armor added to the cacophony of desperation over his screams of rage as he tried to free himself.

The rest of the hunting party leveled their weapons at the creature, shooting at its jaw in an attempt to get it to put their colleague down. Instead, the animal thrashed its prey around several times, before slamming its jaw to the ground, driving its teeth deeper into its prey's armor. It ignored their attempts to free their comrade in favor of slamming its jaw on the floor, this time drawing blood. Undeterred, Wrex lowered his shotgun to clench his offhand, channeling a blue aura into his fist before sending a biotic Throw towards the animal, striking it in the head with enough force to knock around an air car; its head lolled in the air as though it were punched in the face, nearly dropping its prey.

The animal turned its attention towards Wrex, glaring hatefully at him. It was silent for a few seconds as it stared at the Battlemaster with barely-restrained rancor before clenching its teeth with a sickening crunch, finally killing the struggling Krogan in its mouth. The green monster threw the nearly-bisected Krogan at Wrex with a tremendous amount of power, forcing him to erect a biotic barrier to deflect the improvised projectile. As its yellow eyes glowed red with rage, a life of eternal violence told through the many claret scars on its body made themselves known as its muscles threatened to burst from its darkening, scaly hide along the length of tooth-lined seams. The animal threw its head around, its roar even louder with anger.

Before anyone could respond, the animal raised its leg and planted its foot to the ground with its entire mass, shaking the ground with enough force to throw everyone off...however, it ignored everyone else in favor of charging Wrex. Its head was reared back, ready to slam him into another wall like it did the first Krogan; the impact was reduced by the barrier, but it still hit with enough force to dispel the barrier and send him to the ground and on his back. Unlike the poor sod that the animal threw at him, Wrex was able to keep a grip on his Spike Thrower, firing two more shots at it before rolling away just in time to avoid getting scooped up into its fang-laden maw and firing another volley of spikes at its eye.

The shamaness and the remaining hunter were able to get their bearings back to reposition at the flanks of the beast, hoping to wear it down under a hail of mass accelerator fire. As its anger reached a zenith, the hunting party noted a cloud of dark vapor billowing from its mouth, crackling with red lightning; the monster took a deep, wheezing breath before spewing forth a beam of scarlet energy from its mouth in a wide arc in front of it, the dark smoke thickening into a dark cloud. While everyone else was able to find cover, Wrex had no time to evade, and threw up another barrier just in time for the deadly stormfront to roll over; he watched as both his biotic and kinetic barriers were dispelled upon contact with the black cloud moments before he was swept up off his feet and knocked back by the force of the storm.

As he stood back up, Wrex saw the animal slowly walking up to him, an almost triumphant look in its eyes, saliva trailing from the corners of its fang-lined maw. One of his fellow hunters had charged from his hiding place with the intent of tripping it up only for the monster to bat him away with a sweep of its massive tail, while the shamaness was forced back into her cover when it used its jaw to lob a nearby boulder in her direction.

Focusing his biotics in his hand with the intent of throwing a Warp at the monster, Wrex looked on in shock when he noted that the biotic aura had fizzled out almost as soon as he'd summoned it. Looking back at the monster as it neared him, he could only smile as he raised Maw Crusher to the creature's head; he could not deny the tremble of fear in his bones at the thought of fighting such a vicious monster without his biotics, and yet his hearts were thrumming with excitement at the challenge. It was a feeling he hadn't experienced since he'd taken on that Thresher Maw on foot.

Before the animal could strike, Wrex saw something leaping from out of nowhere. Trained eyes were able to make sense of the chaos as he identified the newcomer. The alien had the proportions of a more robust Asari or a male Batarian, and he wore some kind of animal-shaped helmet with false feather pieces on his head, along with dark gray gauntlets and a waist wrap; his chest and legs were clad in red armor and pants. In his hands was a strange-looking green weapon with teeth along the edges, and swelling muscles like the creature; it gave him the impression of a large, high-tech, double-bitted axe. As he was busy fighting the green animal, the alien was soon joined by an even smaller, furry alien with a large, knapped glass cleaver on a stick in one paw, and a large, red pot with a small rope held on its back.

Engrossed from watching the alien fighting the green monster, Wrex was almost startled when he heard a feminine voice beside him speaking in gibberish nearby. He turned to see another alien to his left; the armored contours under the ratty leather robes was more true to the appearance to a _real_ Asari, even sounded like one. As she spoke, she was waving her hand towards herself frantically, indicating that he should follow her.

"I would recommend that we follow her, Wrex," said the shamaness, coming out of hiding from a nearby rock.

Seeing no other alternatives, Wrex stood up and followed the alien and the shamaness. The three of them were met by an even smaller, furry alien and the only other Krogan hunter to survive the expedition met at an outcrop near the battleground. "You okay, Darg?" asked Wrex

"I'll live," answered the hunter.

"Wait right here, I'm gonna help him out."

Noticing that he was walking back towards the monster, the taller, Asari-like alien raised an arm and shoved him back, nodding her head in the negative; that she was able to push him back at all was a surprise to the Battlemaster.

As he was about to retort, Wrex noted the shamaness's hand on his shoulder. "Don't interfere. We've been unable to do much against that animal, but apparently _they_ can."

He looked back at the fight, and saw that her compatriot was busy fighting the monster with his fancy axe. From the way he moved, the alien in red knew what he was doing, avoiding foot plants and tail swipes, while he got a few swings of his axe in. His diminutive partner on the other hand, worked in concert with him to help divert as much of the monster's attention on it, slashing at the monster with its cleaver. The alien in red called to his partner, saying something that he couldn't understand as he drew the monster's attention, dealing more decisive blows to it as the smaller alien pulled the pot off its holster, before taking out a pair of small rocks and striking them against the rope.

With a sudden burst of speed, the taller alien sheathed his axe to run up a ledge, and kicked off of it to land on the creature's back, wasting no time in drawing a large knife from the small of his back, repeatedly stabbing into the monster with ferocity. As he held on and attacked the monster, the smaller alien managed to strike up a flame against the rope, throwing the rocks aside to pick up the pot with both paws. With a strength disproportionate to its size, the smaller alien threw the pot at the monster with a running start, the apparent bomb exploding upon contact with its neck.

The taller alien in red sheathed his knife in favor of the complicated axe on his back, drawing it in one smooth motion while hitting a trigger in the grip, sending the blade on one side slid along a rail before pulling the blade on the other end back and locking in place to become a large sword. With a single thrust, the alien in red stabbed the monster in the wound, his weapon letting out a cacophony of mechanical whining and hissing before exploding and throwing him off the animal. As he landed, the sword had folded away, turning into an axe as the alien stared up at the green menace, the monster roaring in rage. As it turned to leave, the animal grabbed one of the carcasses that Wrex and his hunting party had shot dead before vacating the area.

The survivors of the hunting party were stunned; they were barely able to hurt this creature with their guns, and yet this alien in red armor with his primitive weapon was able to fight that thing off. There was one question on their mind:

Who were these people?

…

[Tevos's Apartment]

Tevos sat in her apartment with a glass of Serrice Republic ice brandy next to her as she relaxed on her couch. Taking a careful swig, Tevos savored the sweet and bitter flavor of her drink as contemplated the things that she had to deal with…on top of the daily paperwork that was par the course for her position as Councilor, she had the fact that there was no response hitherto from the expedition to Sector X.

There was so much promise on the other side of that relay: mining prospects for new and exotic materials; potential colonization rights; even a potential client race for the Citadel to help fight against the Batarians should the time come. Though the risk of encountering races like the Rachni -or, Goddess-forbid, the Yahg!- was always there, it was a danger that came with the territory of exploring an unopened relay. It was a big reason why she indulged in the Rydia Twins' demands to explore Sector X: to see if the potential was there.

Another reason she'd allowed them to go was based on a finding that had come up when the Oracles had discovered something from the Prothean beacon on Thessia. Like everyone in the inner circle, she was aware of the Republics' deepest, darkest secret, and how it was responsible for their rise to power. One particular bit of knowledge that interested her was a set of coordinates leading to Relay X, along with whisperings of the word "sanctuary." There was no rhyme or reason behind the word, much less data on what was behind the relay, just the word "sanctuary" being repeated over and over in relation to those coordinates.

While the existence of the beacon was a secret even to the Asari public, the theory that the Protheans had somehow survived was a source of contention among many Asari scholars studying the Prothean Extinction Event…one of whom was already through Relay X. The idea that the Protheans were in Sector X was a can of worms that was just waiting to be opened…the potential of a war to secure an alliance with the surviving Protheans was a threat that could not be ignored. And for that reason, she'd approved of the expedition without letting them know what to expect.

Still, there was one thought that bothered Gorgo: what were the Protheans running from in _this_ galaxy that they'd risk death and possible extinction going to a new one?

…

**Codex**

**Brumak Light Tactical Vehicle**

On Tuchanka, the gigantic Brumak is a predator that is sometimes hunted by Krogans for meat. It is believed that short of Thresher Maws, nothing beats a Brumak.

Building on the success of the Tomkah, some Krogan engineers during the rebellions had recognized the use of smaller, faster vehicles that could serve as a vanguard; the result is the Brumak Light Tactical Vehicle which has been the spearhead of many attacks on Turian patrols. It is a smaller vehicle with a hull and frame made with the same materials as the Tomkah that drives on four wheels, but is no less reliable than its larger cousin. Standard on all designs is the addition of a removable general-purpose machine gun mounted on a swivel on the back, which can serve just as well in an anti-vehicle role, as well as an anti-personnel weapon.

After the Krogan Rebellions, many Brumaks on Tuchanka have been decommissioned in an effort to demilitarize the Krogans…however, models from all over the galaxy have been salvaged by the Athame Initiative from old battlefields and modified to provide a reliable mode of transportation for the explorers.

…

_**A/N: Now we've covered Wrex.**_

_**With any luck, we'll have come to a decision on who comes next.**_

_**Again, kudos to ravenking64 for being the beta-reader for this story.**_

_**Please PM or review to me if you have a character you want to show up with the following info:**_

_**Name:**_

_**Race: Human or Wyverian (They're the only races we see doing any active hunting)**_

_**Gender: No transgenders, please! I doubt Monster Hunter-verse has the materials necessary to even have transgenders.**_

_**Sexual Identity: Gay? Straight? Bi? Omni?**_

_**Age:**_

_**Height: In centimeters (please make it believable)**_

_**Weight: In kilograms**_

_**Body Type: Slim, Muscular?**_

_**Skin Color:**_

_**Eye Color:**_

_**Hair Color:**_

_**Notable Features: Tattoos, scars, amputations, etc.**_

_**Personality:**_

_**History: Just a little of what they've done before going to the New World, like what was the biggest monster they killed, or where they come from. That, and what they've been doing while in the New World.**_

_**Guild Status: Are they still active? If not, then what do they do now? Are they Guild Knights?**_

_**Handler: Do they answer to a Handler, or to a receptionist? If they answer to a Handler, give a brief description of them; name, gender, personality.**_

_**Hunter Rank: Are they Low- or High-ranked? (No Master-Rank please, we're not on Iceborne yet)**_

_**Equipment: Just what weapon they normally use, and the armor they're wearing (No higher than High-rank)**_

_**Knife: Describe the knife they carry (this is optional)**_

_**Palico Name: Name your Hunter's Palico**_

_**Palico Description: Describe the physical appearance; tail length, fur thickness, eye color, etc.**_

_**Palico Equipment: Describe the Palico's weapon, gear, and armor**_

_**Palico Personality: Describe the Palico's demeanor**_


End file.
